One Life To Live
by IHeartLogiebear
Summary: After his older sister died in a tragic car accident, Logan Mitchell was given custody of his six year old niece. His world revolves around the child and creating a happy, stable life for her, but he sometimes forgets about himself in the process. Then James, a deaf teen, moves next door. A friendship develops and lessons are learned.
1. New Neighbors

**A Christmas surprise for all of my readers! Recently, a reviewer advised to show and not tell in my writing, so I am attempting to do that here. I hope I succeeded in doing that, but I don't know:P I'm excited about it, though! My brain is always shooting out possible story ideas;)**

**Disclaimer: Sorry, I'm just a fanfiction writer. If I owned Big Time Rush, I wouldn't be on this website. But I'm okay with that because I love writing for you guys:) **

**Please enjoy:D**

Logan Mitchell's head begins to ache as he looks down at the math homework in front of him. He only has one problem left to go, but he could really use a break. His muscles are tense and he can barely keep his eyes open. Not to mention that there is a six year old girl in the living room that is currently calling his name. When his sister passed away in a car accident six months ago, he was given custody of little Gabriella.

Closing his math book, he trudges to the living room, where the little girl is jumping on the couch. He shakes his head, reaching for her. He has told her a million times that he doesn't want her doing that because she could get hurt. But you know how little kids can be. They never listen.

"I told you not to do that." He says firmly, putting her down.

"But I'm bored!" Gabby whines.

"Just sit down." He tells her. "I'll get you a coloring book."

In the apartment's small office, there are some coloring books laying on a table. One of these should be enough to keep that child out of trouble. Logan is almost finished with his homework and he wants to get it done now, so he can have the rest of the weekend to relax. His teachers are all really understanding of his situation, but that doesn't mean that he gets special treatment.

"Here." He says when he returns to the living room, handing the coloring book and some crayons to her. "I'm gonna finish my homework, okay? I better not catch you jumping on the couch again."

"Kay kay!"

He gives her a quick kiss on the head before returning to the office. He sits back down and picks his pencil back up, his eyes becoming glued to the sheet. Just one more problem, then he's done. The only problem is that it's the hardest one. He has tried everything, but has come up with nothing. He grumbles under his breath, glancing at a picture in a beautiful silver frame.

Six months ago, his older sister was killed in a car accident and Logan was given custody of her daughter. Most seventeen year olds are thinking about upcoming football games and prom night, but his life revolves around caring for Gabby. Their parents were drug addicts and, at sixteen, he got emancipated. In Kelsey's will, she cited Logan as Gabby's legal guardian should anything ever happen to her.

"Okay, this is ridiculous." He mutters, flipping through his math book. "Wait, I've got it!"

By looking at an example, he gets the problem done within five minutes. He jumps out of his seat and eagerly exits the office, peeking into the living room. Finally, Gabby decided to actually listen to him. She's enjoying her coloring book, rather than risking a broken leg by jumping on things that she shouldn't.

"Baby, do you want a snack?" He asks her.

"Brownies?"

"I don't have brownies." He chuckles. "But I can give you some cookies and milk. How does that sound?"

Gabby closes her coloring book and skips to the dining area, crawling into a chair. Logan grabs a bag of Oreos (Gabby's most recent addiction) and pours a glass of milk for her, taking the snack to the table. As soon as he puts it down, she digs in. While she stuffs her adorable face, he sits across from her and pulls out his phone, logging into Facebook. He absolutely adores his Timeline cover photo of him and Gabby at the zoo. In the photo, he is carrying her and giving her a kiss on her cheek.

"Okay, why is there a moving truck outside?" He murmurs. A middle aged woman and another guy, whom Logan is assuming to be her son, get out of a pickup truck. He furrows his eyebrows, watching carefully. He had heard something about getting some new neighbors, but he wasn't aware that they would be arriving today.

"Who are they?" Gabby asks, looking out the window.

"I guess some new neighbors are moving in." He replies, getting up. Stretching, he goes to the kitchen and grabs a coke, taking a small sip of the drink before placing it back in the refrigerator. He and Gabby are both way overdue for a nap. Well, at least he is. Gabby is a little too hyper, which wears her uncle out sometimes.

"I'm done."

"Alright, let's clean up." He says, picking up the empty glass while Gabby closes the bag of cookies. He puts the glass in the sink, then he takes the bag from Gabby and puts it back on the kitchen island. A pair of arms wrap around his leg and he looks down to see Gabby giving him a hug.

"Hey, it's snowing outside." He says, picking her up. "How would you like to go outside and play?"

Kenzie nods and Logan kisses her cheek, caring her to her room. It takes only thirty minutes for him to get both her and himself dressed for a snow day. Then he takes her hand and they exit the apartment. You know, caring for a child is even harder since he's practically still a kid himself, but he would do anything for his sister.

"Next week, all the kids get to bring their daddies to school." Gabby tells him. "One boy's daddy is a fireman. Can I bring you?"

"Baby," Logan sighs, picking her up. "I work at a convenience store. It's not that cool."

"Can you get a different job?"

Logan chuckles. Oh, this girl and her questions. "I haven't even finished my high school education. There aren't very many options for me yet. Now, once I finish college, I can get a much cooler job."

"You're gonna be a doctor!" Gabby says happily. "I'm gonna call you Doctor Logie."

"You're not allowed to call me that in public." He playfully taps her nose. Once they've made it outside, he puts her down and she practically dives into the white blanket. Suddenly, something cold hits his face and he gives his niece a flat expression. Of course, she would want a snowball fight. She _loves _snowball fights.

"Oh, it's on." He gets a snowball of his own and tosses it at her, laughing whenever she squeals and claps her hands together. Soon another snowball is thrown in his direction, but not from Gabby.

"Hey!" He whips around, coming face to face with the same guy he saw earlier. What, is the dude just gonna stand there and stare at him? Don't people usually make sure it's okay before they start tossing snow at complete strangers? Ugh, so rude. "What was that about?"

Silence.

"Well, are you gonna say anything?" He questions. What does he get in response? Sign language. Oh, now he gets it. This kid is deaf. Man, now he feels kind of bad for getting so defensive. The poor guy just want to have a little fun. He didn't mean anything by it.

The boy's mom taps him on his shoulder. She signs back at him and he nods, waving at Logan before following his mother into the apartment building. He watches for a moment, shrugging before returning his attention to Gabby. She gives their new neighbor a wave and he waves back in response.

"We might have to bake some brownies later." Logan finally says. "And take a plate to them."

"Yay!" Gabby cheers. "Now, I want a piggy back ride."

"Alright, hop on." Logan turns around, groaning when the little girl jumps on his back. She keeps her arms wrapped tightly around his neck to keep from falling flat on her butt. Unfortunately, they've had quite a few experiences with her falling on her rear end. That's actually why she isn't allowed to jump on the couch or her bed anymore. No broken limps, just a bruised behind.

"Can we visit Kendall and his mommy?"

"I think they're suppose to be out of town today." Logan answers. Kendall is one of Logan's classmates that lives in a nearby neighborhood. He was one of the few people to really support Logan after Kelsey died. And Gabby absolutely adores him ever since he babysat her a couple months ago.

"Now," He says. "Let's go back inside and make those brownies. I'm freezing out here."

* * *

"We can't drop these." Logan says a few hours later, holding a plate of brownies in one hand and Gabby's hand in the other. He saw the new neighbors walking in and out of apartment 120, so he knows exactly where to go. He has a careful grip on the plate, especially since he and Gabby worked so hard on these brownies.

"Mommy said that you dropped your mommy's favorite vase once and she hit you." Gabby mentions. "Your mommy didn't sound very nice."

"Baby, she wasn't." Logan responds quietly. Oh, how well he knows that. His and Kelsey's parents were the worst. Child Protective Services was called numerous times, but he and his sister were never taken out of that awful household. Kelsey moved out as soon as she turned eight and when Logan was sixteen, he couldn't wait any longer, so he made the decision to get emancipated.

"Alright, we're here." He takes a deep breath, knocking on the door.

"Coming!"

"Why don't you give these to the nice lady?" Logan says, handing the plate to Gabby. The door opens and Logan gives the lady a friendly smile, kneeling beside Gabby. "Ma'am, this little lady and I have a welcome gift for you. Gabby, give her the brownies."

"Oh, thank you!" She says. "Why don't you come in? Things aren't very organized around here, considering we just moved in, but we would love to have some visitors. And you look like you're about James's age. I'm sure he would love to have a new friend."

Logan stands up straight and reluctantly follows James's mom into their apartment.

"Just call me Brooke or Mrs. Diamond, I don't really care." She tells him and Gabby. "Let me get James."

Logan taps his foot against the wooden floor, playing with Gabby's dark brown hair. He's only nervous about spending time with James because he doesn't know sign language. Therefore, he can't properly communicate. He has never interacted with a deaf person before either, so he has a feeling that he and James will have a hard time getting to know each other.

"Your names?" Mrs. Diamond asks.

"Oh! Um, I'm Logan and this is my niece, Gabriella."

Mrs. Diamond proceeds to sign language to James, who does the same in response. Logan feels like he has entered an entirely different world. He knows that he wants to learn sign language since he plans on becoming a doctor, but the fact that he doesn't know it yet could be an issue.

"He was born deaf." Mrs. Diamond explains. "He's pretty nerv..." She stops to sign language another message to James, who is running a black comb through his short hair. He rolls his eyes and hands the comb to her, crossing his arms. "Anyway, he's pretty nervous about starting school on Monday. I've already spoken to the principal, though. He'll be properly accommodated."

"I actually go to Cook County High School." Logan tells her. "I can always introduce him to some people. I have a couple of friends that I think he would get along with."

"That would be wonderful!" Mrs. Diamond exclaims. "I'm sure he would love that."

"Yep." Logan agrees. "He would."

* * *

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	2. I Wish I Could Give You Something Better

"Dude, why would you even say that?" Logan asks Carlos over the phone. "That is not gonna happen...Carlos, I'm hanging up...yeah, I'll see you at school tomorrow...Okay, bye." He puts his cell phone on the coffee table. He should probably get Gabby to bed soon. They both have school tomorrow, so they have no business sitting up too late.

Getting up off the couch, he walks to his niece's bedroom, where she is on the floor with her dolls. Boy, does she love dolls. There's this new doll that she wants for Christmas, but Logan isn't sure if he can afford it. He's tempted to ask Mama Knight (Kendall's mom) if she could help him out, but he doesn't like asking for money. That's why he tries so hard to save up his money.

"Gabby," He whispers, knocking on the door.

"Huh?"

"It's time for bed." Logan tells her. "Let's put your dolls away."

Together, they put the dolls in the toy box where they belong. Then Logan lifts her into his arms and carries her over to her bed, pulling the covers back. He kisses her cheek before lowering her onto the mattress, pulling the covers back over her. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he watches her for a while, playing with her hair.

"Check for monsters under my bed, Logie." She says softly.

"Alright." He chuckles, kneeling by the bed. "Nope, no monsters!"

That's just another one of their nightly "traditions." He needs to have a talk with Kendall and Carlos about watching scary movies with her. So far, she has seen everything from Friday the 13th to Saw. He will draw the line at them showing her The Exorcist. Heck, he watched that movie once and it took him weeks to get over that.

"I don't wanna go to sleep." Gabby pouts.

"And why is that?" Logan asks her.

"Just because."

"Well, if you don't go to sleep, the tickle monster is gonna come after you." For emphasis, he slowly moves his hand toward her stomach, and she giggles while she pushes his hand away. He grins and kisses her nose, also giving her a quick hug before heading to the door.

"Logie?"

"Yeah, baby?" He whispers.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He says softly before flipping the light switch. He has a busy day ahead of him tomorrow. Then again, when isn't he busy? Every weekday, he wakes up, he and Gabby eat breakfast, get dressed, go to school, he goes to work after school, then he picks Gabby up and they go home. It's pretty exhausting, especially for someone his age.

In his bedroom, he has a picture of Kelsey on the table by his bed. After she died, he promised himself that he would take good care of her little girl, and that's exactly what he's gonna do.

* * *

"Dude, I don't know what you're saying." He tells James as he parks in front of Gabby's school the next morning. James is signing something to him, but he has never felt so confused before. Man, why didn't he learn sign language sooner? But judging by the amused look on James's face, he must be saying something funny.

"Hey," He says, tapping James's shoulder. He points to Gabby, then to the school. He hopes that this might work as a form of communication. He's gonna have to pick up a sign language book from the bookstore if he's gonna be able to talk to James in a way that the guy will understand.

"Don't forget your backpack, baby girl." He tells Gabby. She grabs her back pack and runs after him (yes, runs) and when she appears next to him, he grabs her hand to keep her from falling and hurting herself. A few moms whisper to others, glancing at him occasionally. He stares straight ahead, but he can feel himself tensing up.

"Alright," He says when they arrive at the door of the school. He kneels in front of Gabby. "You're gonna behave yourself, right? Be nice to the other children and you better not come home with a boyfriend. Got that?"

"Ewww, no!" Gabby scrunches up her face. Logan laughs and leans in to give her a kiss on her cheek.

"Remember that I work until six, okay?" He tells her. "But Mrs. Knight is gonna pick you up and bring you over to the convenience store."

"Okay, Logie!" Gabby starts to walk away.

"Hey, you forgot something."

Gabby gives him a confused look.

"A hug!" He grins. Gabby smiles back and throws her arms around his neck. Then he lets her go and stands back up, turning around and heading back toward the vehicle. Alright, why is James out of the car? Oh boy...he's making goo goo eyes on some young teacher. Ah, Logan recognizes her as Miss Martin and she's only, like, twenty five years old. Dear God, James better not think that she's gonna have anything to do with him. If she was interested, that relationship wouldn't even be legal.

He sighs and stands in James's few, pointing to the car. He mouths "get in" and waits until James is in the front passengers seat. Then he gets behind the wheel, giving his new "friend" a strange look. He has a feeling that James Diamond is gonna be very...challenging.

* * *

"Man, have you thought about taking a few days off work?" Kendall suggests as they exit English, their final class of the day.

"I can't." Logan replies. "Gotta make money for Gabby and I. I've gotta put food on the table, you know? And clothes on our backs. A roof over our heads. I can't afford to take time off."

"Dude, you're seventeen." Kendall says, shaking his head."I can't believe that you have to think about stuff like that at your age."

"Yeah?" Logan says. "I guess things just happen. Besides, Gabby's a great kid. She deserves to have a close family member caring for her, instead of being thrown into a complete strangers house."

He hates that he has such a hard time relating to his friends. Sure, he got emancipated before Kelsey even died, but he didn't have as many responsibilities then as he does now. It was hard enough when he was just raising himself, but now he's got another person to think about. Because of that, he doesn't have much in common with anyone at school, even Kendall and Carlos. But being the loyal friends that they are, they've stood by him and even babysat a few times.

"Dude, what is up with that James kid?" Carlos asks, appearing next to them.

"He was born deaf." Logan explains. "He's pretty cool, though. But if you wanna talk to him, you better learn how to speak sign language."

"Hey, we'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Kendall says as they approach the exit.

"Okay." Logan says before walking to his car. James's mom is gonna pick him up, since Logan has to work. James's first day at this new school went pretty well. However, it's a good thing that he couldn't hear the comments Jett Stetson was making about him. Otherwise, his day probably wouldn't have went so well.

Only ten minutes later, he's parked in front of the convenience store. When he walks into the small building, he doesn't expect Gabby to be whimpering while Camille, one of his coworkers, tries to comfort her.

"Hey, what happened?" He asks, kneeling beside them.

"Some kids were making fun of her at school today." Camille says, stroking Gabby's hair. "Because she doesn't have a 'real daddy'."

Logan sighs softly. Of course that's why. He knows that kids at school have started treating her differently because of that. One of her classmates even has a mom who is apparently very against teen parents, so she doesn't even want her daughter hanging out with Gabby. If you ask Logan, he'd say that all those parents are just a bunch of judgmental bastards. Yes, it sounds harsh, but it's his opinion.

"Baby girl, you wanna tell me what happened?" He asks her.

"Well, th-they were talking about br-bringing their d-daddies to school and our teacher asked me where my daddy works, so I told her that I live with my uncle and that he w-works at a convenience store. Then the whole class started making fun of me."

Logan's eyes fill with tears. How could anyone make fun of her for that? She had no control over what happened to her mother and whatever happened to her dad (no one even knows who he is). Her mom wanted her to live with Logan, so he took her in. Mama Knight actually tells him about what a good thing he's doing.

"I can take care of the little brats." Lucy, another coworker, says, touching Gabby's head as she walks past them.

"Lucy, get back to work." Marley, their boss, says sternly. Logan wipes his eyes before giving his little angel a hug, reaching up to wipe her tears away. He may be just a teenager himself, but he believes that he can be just as good of a parent as anyone else. He's so tired of people judging him and Gabby.

"Cam, can I talk to her alone?" He says softly.

"Sure." Camille says gently, giving him a hug before walking away. Then he focuses his attention on the tearful little girl in front of him.

"Baby, I want you to listen to me." He tells her. "You and I may not have a perfect life now, but everything is gonna work out. I'm gonna finish high school, go to college, I'm gonna get a great job, and it's all gonna get better. And those kids? I guarantee you that their lives probably aren't much better. They're most likely being mean to you for two reasons. One, they're immature. Two, they're insecure."

He gives her a little kiss, wishing he could do something to make her feel better. He wishes that he didn't have to wait until he can finish high school and go to college to make a better life for them. Sadly, there's not much you can do when you don't even have a high school diploma.

"I told them that something happened to my mommy and now you're taking care of me, but it didn't matter to them." She says. Logan shakes his head, wrapping his arms around her. He is seriously tempted to march down to that school tomorrow and have a talk with those kids himself. He refuses to let them make Gabby's school years a living hell.

"You still love me, don't you? Even though I'm not like the other daddies?" He ask her. Gabby nods in response and Logan gives her sad smile, standing up. "Why don't you do your homework while I'm working?"

Gabby nods and sits her homework in front of her. He walks over to Camille, who touches his shoulder as he walks past her.

"You're trying you best, you know." She reminds him. "She's really lucky to have you."

"Yeah." He sighs. "I just wish I could give her a better life."

* * *

**Ten reviews on the first chapter? That is AWESOME! :D**

**I hope I didn't accident write Kenzie in some places again;) I'm so use to writing about her and now I'm writing about a different little girl, so bear with me:P Feel free to correct me if I made that mistake, though!**

**Review! :D**


	3. My Little Girl

"You know, I think Kendall's right." Mama Knight says, watching Logan as he washes dishes. "You need to take a break from work. You look exhausted."

"I already told him that I can't do that." He replies. Mama Knight shakes her head and reaches out to him, kissing his cheek. He smiles softly before peeking into the living room, where Gabby is watching TV with Kendall and James. She seems to have taken a liking to their "special" friend, even though none of them have quite mastered sign language.

She taps James on his shoulder and points to the TV. Logan walks into the living room and looks at the TV, finally rolling his eyes. The Fairly Oddparents, Gabby's current obsession. She seems to have a real interest in fairies and unicorns. She dressed as a fairy for Halloween this year! Mama Knight made her an adorable pink dress and some fairy weeks, then went to the store and bought a tiara and some pink shoes for her.

"Okay! I'm here." Carlos gasps, bursting through the front door. Everyone eyes him curiously, noticing immediately that he's soaking wet from the rain pouring outside.

"KATIE, GET DOWN HERE!" Mama Knight calls out to her eleven year old daughter, also Kendall's younger sister. Logan lowers himself to the floor, letting Gabby crawl onto his lap. He wraps his arms around her, giving her a gentle hug. He notices some hair hanging in her face, so he carefully pulls it out of her eyes.

"Is their hot new friend over?!" Katie replies. Oh, dear God...Katie met James for the first time yesterday and she apparently things he's the best looking man on the planet. She uses his situation to her advantage because she can flirt with him and he won't hear a word she's saying. Oh, the things that will be revealed once they've all learned sign language.

Mama Knight sighs. "Yes, he's here!"

Suddenly, Katie appears next to her, smiling.

Logan occupies himself with playing with Gabby's hair, enjoying the softness. He's thinking about scheduling a haircut for her soon. You know, before those adorable brown locks get too long. He thinks she looks cuter with her hair at shoulder length...and wavy. He knows this wonderful stylist down the street from their apartment building and she's very understanding about their situation, so she always gives him a discount.

"Gabby, how was that Bring Dad To School thing?" Mama Knight asks.

"It sucked." Gabby mutters.

"Gabriella Mitchell, where did you learn that word?" Logan says calmly.

"Carlos." Gabby points to her uncle's Latino friend. Logan isn't even surprised. He just hopes that Carlos won't end up completely corrupting her. What words will he teach her next? He already showed her how to heckle the other team at hockey games. Luckily, she only learned G rated insults, but that still isn't right.

"Hey, don't look at me like that." Carlos says as Logan gives him a deadpan look. "You've cursed in front of her before."

"Remember that time his mom called and he said, like, the mother of all cuss words?" Kendall chuckles.

"What's that?" Gabby asks Logan.

"You don't need to know." Logan says, reaching over to smack Kendall behind the head. He hates his parents. They put him and Kelsey through hell. He doesn't even let them visit him and Gabby because he has absolutely no trust for them. They're not the kind of people that he wants around his six year old niece.

"Anyway, how did it go, sweetie?" Mama Knight asks.

"I was the only person that didn't have a daddy." Gabby pouts.

"Um, can I get up for a sec?" Logan asks her. She gets off his lap and he stands up, leaving the room. Walking up down the hallway as fast as he can, he holds back tears until he reaches Kendall's room. He manages to keep from fully breaking down, but as soon as he's alone, he lets salty tears fall from his eyes.

Every time Gabby talks about not having a daddy, he feels like his heart is being ripped out. He wants nothing more than for her to have a proper father figure in her life, but he's all she has.

Knock! Knock!

"Come in." He says, his voice cracking. The door slowly opens to reveal a concerned James. He quietly shuts the door behind him and sits on the bed next to Logan, frowning. Logan watches as the boy signs to him, but he shrugs to indicate that he doesn't know what James is saying. So James gets up and grabs a notebook and pen off Kendall's desk.

"What is that gonna do?" He asks tiredly. Next thing he knows, a notepad is being shoved into his hands.

_Are you okay?_

Logan accepts the pen from James and writes something in response before handing the notepad back.

_Not really_

James sits next to him again, putting an arm around his shoulder. For a few minutes, they sit in silence, until James suddenly perks up and starts signing about something else. Logan gives him a baffled expression and he takes a picture from his pocket, showing it to Logan. It's a picture of Lucy, his coworker. It looks like it was printed off the internet, probably from Facebook.

_You like her?_

He hands the notepad to James, who reads the message before shrugging. But he's blushing and Logan knows what that means.

James gets up and walks to the door, motioning for him to follow. So he does, making sure that there are no more tears falling from his eyes.

* * *

"Logie, are you mad at me?" Gabby asks Logan as he fastens her seatbelt.

"No, I'm not mad at you." He says before shutting the backseat door. He gets into the drivers seat and watches James surf the internet on his iPhone. Something tells him that the kid probably gets just about anything he wants. He could never afford something like the latest Apple product. He does feel a hint of jealousy toward people who do get nice things, but he knows that it's not fair to be that way.

He puts the key in the ignition and starts the vehicle, backing out of the Knight's driveway. He clenches and unclenches his fist, his mind still on the whole "Gabby doesn't have a dad" thing. Having an uncle isn't the same as having a real dad, especially when you're six years old and your uncle/guardian is still in high school.

"What are you doing?" He asks when James actually props his feet up on the dashboard. Apparently, something on the phone must be amusing because he starts laughing (silent laughter) and kicking the dashboard. Taking a deep breath, Logan reaches out and gently pushes James's feet, nodding when said feet go back to where they belong, on the car floor.

"Can we go to the aquarium this weekend?" Gabby pleads.

"Hon, I don't think so." Logan tells her. "Maybe some other time, though."

He looks in the rearview mirror and he can tell that she's disappointed, which breaks his heart even more. He would love to take her to the aquarium, but he just can't afford it right now. He has to save up money to buy necessities like food and clothing. Maybe next year? Ugh, he doesn't even know.

When they get back to the apartment building, the first thing he does is take James home.

"Tell you what," He says, picking Gabby up. "Why don't I cook us a pizza and we'll watch a movie?"

"Okay!" Gabby chirps. Their apartment is right down the hall from James's, so it isn't a very far walk. Once they arrive, he puts Gabby down and takes the key from his jeans pocket, pushing the door open and letting Gabby walk ahead of him. He shuts the door and walks over to the bar, checking the cordless home phone for any messages.

_Hey, it's Camille. I just wanted to call and let you know that Marley wants you to stay home from work for a couple of days. I'll see you at school tomorrow! Bye._

UGH! Doesn't anyone understand that he cannot afford to take time off? If he can't earn enough money to take care of himself and Gabby, the court could revoke his emancipation and custody of his niece. He doesn't want either of those things to happen, so he needs to make sure that he keeps making enough cash.

"Logie, you look sad." Gabby frowns. "And kind of angry."

How is that child so good at reading emotions at her age?

"Don't worry about me." Logan rubs his temples, stepping into the kitchen. His boss and his friends need to butt out of his business, others need to stop being so judgmental, and he needs an aspirin, which he doesn't have right now. He'll have to go to the store and pick some up. He has a feeling that he'll be needing a lot of it.

"Mrs. Knight thinks that you need a girlfriend."

"Trust me, little girl." Logan answers. "A girlfriend is the last thing I need. Got that?"

"Why-"

"Look, pick a movie for us to watch." He tells her. "But it has to be rated G."

"How do I know if it's rated G?"

"You can usually find the rating on the back of the case." Logan takes a frozen cheese pizza out of the fridge, sitting it on the counter. His head is aching so bad. He feels like he's sweating too. Why does life have to be so difficult?

* * *

"You are such a messy eater." He chuckles, wiping pizza sauce from the corners of Gabby's mouth.

"Oops."

"But you're not alone." Logan adds. "I use to be the same way when I was little."

He can barely keep his eyes open and it's only eight thirty. Ridiculous, right? It's not like he can tell Gabby, though. She already feels bad enough about not having a real dad in her life, so the least Logan can do is not be a complete wimp. So he's a little tired. Big deal! A lot of people get tired, but they don't complain.

"Mommy loved pizza." Gabby mentions.

"Yeah." Logan says softly. "I remember."

He could never forget how much his sister loved italian food in general. Her favorite places were Olive Garden, Petsmart, and the mall. Sometimes Logan would join her and Gabby on their little trips, even though he sometimes felt left out because he was the only guy in the group. Now he's fully in charge of Gabby and he hardly ever takes her to those places anymore. He should, though. He knows that he should.

"Hey, I don't have to go to work for the next two days." He informs her. "So I was thinking that we could visit the mall when I get out of school. Would you like that?"

Gabby nods eagerly, throwing her arms around his neck. He may not be able to buy her anything, but at least he can take her out for a few hours. They haven't been on very many uncle/niece outings lately. Since he's being forced to take time off, he might as well use the opportunity to spend some quality time with Gabby.

"Can we go shopping?" She asks hopefully.

"Um, we'll have to see about that." Logan hands her another slice of pizza, which she gladly accepts. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to buy her an early Christmas present.

* * *

**Thank you all so much for the reviews so far:) I'm so glad that you're enjoying the story!**

**So...more reviews? **


	4. Return

"How's Gabby doing at school?" Camille asks as she and Logan walk down the main hallway of Cook County High School.

Logan lets out a small sigh."I talked to her teacher about the kids picking on her. She said that she would talk to the class."

"That's good." Camille says. Logan nods, approaching his locker. The thing is basically a metal photo album. The inside of his locker door has several pics of him and Gabby taped to it, such as the one of them at one of the high school's hockey games. Logan was on the team himself until he was given custody of Gabby. He doesn't have time for stuff like that anymore.

"Hey, are you still mad about Marley making you take time off?" Camille asks, looking amused all of a sudden.

"Not mad." Logan takes a breath. "Just frustrated."

He puts his Math book in the locker and grabs his English book, shutting the locker. He was lucky enough to arrange his schedule where he doesn't have to work on weekends, but he's thinking about going into work tomorrow (Saturday). He can't afford to take a bunch of time off. Money is a necessity and he can't make money if he isn't working.

"Look at the bright side!" Camille says, catching up to him. "You get time off to spend with Gabby."

"I know," Logan shrugs. "But I'm coming back to work on Monday."

If Mama Knight and his friends had it their way, they would probably make him take a few weeks off, but they know how much he would hate that. They know good and well that he can't take too much time off. Even though they might wish he would take a break, they understand that he has to work in order to make a living for himself and his niece.

"Hey, did you hear that Jo Taylor moved back?"

"Jo Taylor?" Logan repeats. He remembers her. She was the queen of their school's theatre crowd. Beautiful, popular, talented, and she got her big break when she was asked to audition for a show called New Town High and she got the part. She has been living in Los Angeles for two years now. He thought that she was suppose to start filming season three soon.

"Yeah." Camille replies. "Apparently, New Town High got cancelled and she wanted to take a break from Hollywood for a while. I heard that she'll probably return to LA after graduation, though."

"Kendall had the biggest crush on her." Logan chuckles as they walk into English.

"You think he might finally get the courage to ask her out." Camille asks as they sit down at their desks.

"I doubt it." Logan responds. "For one thing, we don't know that he's even into her anymore, and even if he was, he would be too scared."

"Boys and girls, we have a new student." Their teacher, Mr. Gordon, says as he walks into the classroom with a familiar blonde following close behind. "Or should I say a returning student? Anyway, everyone, this is Jo Taylor. She moved back to Grand Marais all the way from Los Angeles."

The students around them begin to whisper and they can tell that Jo is feeling self conscious.

"Jo, take a seat anywhere you'd like." Mr. Gordon instructs. Jo ends up choosing the seat right in front of Logan. She doesn't look much different than she did before she moved, just slightly more tan and possibly a little thinner. For some reason, Jett is giving her a bitter look. Everyone knows that he was pissed when she got a role in New Town High and he didn't.

"Hey, Jo, just let me know if you need someone to show you around." Greg, another senior, whispers to her.

"I went to school here before." Jo says politely. "I know my way around. Thanks for the offer, though."

"Alright, how about this? Have lunch with me."

"Okay." Jo smiles. Logan and Camille glance at each other, both tapping their fingers against their desks. They need to find out if Kendall likes Jo and, if he does, they need to get those two together. Neither one of them wants Kendall to lose a girl he really likes to another guy. Well, Logan may not have time to get too involved, but Camille can take care of it.

* * *

Lucy Stone didn't walk into the library to check out boys, but she is quick to notice James Diamond sitting at an empty table with a book. She walks over to the table and sits across from him, casually pulling a magazine from her backpack. She pretends to be reading it, but she keeps peeking over at James. She actually knows sign language, so she's pretty much one of the only people in school that can properly communicate with him.

Finally, she puts the magazine down and reaches for his book, gently pushing it aside. His eyes widen when he looks at her, as if he wasn't even aware of her presence before now. She gives him a soft smile and signs to him.

**Hi**

He signs "hello" back at her and she smiles, tempted to ask him why he was reading a book about the military. If he's thinking about joining the army, she would advise against it. Not just because he's deaf either. She highly admires the troops, but she doesn't like the idea of shooting and possibly getting shot.

So she asks him. In sign language, of course. His eyes soften more than they already have and it even looks like some tears might be filling those pretty hazel eyes. Her mom is always telling her that she needs to learn to mind her business.

**_My dad is stationed in Afghanistan_**

She frowns.

**I'm sorry**

He gives her an understanding smile. What a beautiful smile. What an adorable face.

**_It's okay. He's gonna get a two week leave soon, so he's gonna come visit me and my mom._**

Alright, Lucy has gotta change the subject. This is starting to get really depressing.

**You live next to Logan?**

**_Well, a few apartments down from him. He told me that you work at the same convenience store as him._**

**Yeah, he's really sweet. And his niece is too adorable.**

RIIIIING!

Ugh, stupid bell. She was thinking that she might get to have a decent conversation with him, then the bell had to ruin it. Hey, maybe she could get him to visit the convenience store. That would be pretty cool, right? While on her break, she could probably make time to sit down with him and talk. At least she hopes that's how it would work out.

* * *

"I talked to the children." Miss Morgan says as she and Logan walk to the playground. "I don't think they'll be bothering her anymore."

"Good." Logan says, looking around for Gabby. He sees her on a swing, but she stops whenever she sees him. He waves at her and she runs toward him, jumping into his arms. "Hey, cutie! Ready to go?"

"Have a good weekend!" Miss Morgan says as Logan grabs Gabby's backpack. He says the same thing to her, then puts Gabby down and takes her and, walking back out to the parking lot. Miss Morgan better be right about those kids. If he ever hears about them picking on Gabby anymore, he will personally take a trip to the school and talk to them himself.

"How was your day?" He asks her.

"Good." Gabby says, getting into the car.

"Let's take that trip to the mall." He grins. "You like the sound of that?"

Gabby nods eagerly and he puts her backpack in the backseat with his, then he proceeds to get into the drivers seat. They weren't able to make it to the mall yesterday, but he promised that they would go today. He doesn't get to give her everything he would like, but he can at least spend time with her.

* * *

"Baby, why do you always get food all over your face?" Logan asks as he takes a napkin and wipes chocolate ice cream off her cheeks. All Gabby does is shrug and Logan has to laugh at her silliness. The first thing she wanted to do was get some ice cream. It's one of their favorite things to do together.

"You're crazy." He shakes his head, eating another scoop of vanilla. As they've been sitting here in the ice cream shop, he has started thinking about something. He plans on attending Duluth College next fall, but he feels bad that Gabby is gonna have to transfer schools. He has found a great school for her, though.

"My teacher says that her sister had to be committed, but I have no idea what that means." Gabby tells him. Um, should he explain the definition of "committed?"

"Gab, when someone gets committed, it means that they were forced into a...special hospital." He explains carefully. "You know, a mental hospital. Because they have problems with their brain."

"Oh..." Gabby says. "That's not good."

"No, it's not." Logan agrees. Did he seriously just tell his six year old niece that her teacher's sister is crazy? He and Gabby don't really talk much about the human brain and the problems that it can have, except for the time that he told her that the drunk driver who killed her mother was "crazy," which he was. The guy had been struggling with depression for years and had recently developed an alcohol addiction. After a fight with his girlfriend, he went out and got drunk and then...well, you know.

"She got out of the special hospital recently, though."

"Oh, that's good." Logan murmurs. He sniffles heavily and clenches his fists, his eyes starting to burn. The drunk driver ended up dying in the wreck and, although Logan feels kind of bad for the guy's family, the more bitter side of him is glad that the jerk is dead. It's too bad that he couldn't have been the only victim. Kelsey had to suffer too.

Suddenly, a pair of hands are grabbing his cheeks. He looks up and comes face to face with Gabby, who is now sitting on his lap. He puts his hands over hers and gives her a little kiss on her nose and she returns the gesture. She knows how to comfort him when he starts feeling bad. Surprisingly, she's been handling her mom's death better than he has.

"Can we go to the toy store?" She asks him.

"Um," He hesitates. "Okay. Just let me finish this ice cream."

Of course, that requires her to get off his lap, which he can tell she'd rather not to. At times, she can be a tad clingy, not that he minds. She's one of those little girls that you can't help but love having around. She definitely inherited her mother's personality and kind heart. It's just too bad that she no longer has a mom in her life.

* * *

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	5. Unwanted Visitor

"Logie, do you have a crush on Camille?" Gabby asks on Saturday night.

"Where did you get that idea?" Logan asks, his eyes focused on his laptop. He glances at her and she points to James, who smiles sheepishly. Of course, he would be the one to put that idea in her head. He has learned too much about Logan in such a short amount of time and he likes to find new ways to irk Logan.

"No, I don't have a crush on her." He says calmly. They were assigned an essay in English and it's due on Friday. He's not one to wait until the last minute to get started.

"James thinks you do."

"Hon, do me a favor and don't listen to James." He tells her before continuing to type. Rapid knocking on the door breaks the brief moment of silence. Saving his work, he proceeds to get up and walk to the door, looking through the peep hole. Ugh, no way. He doesn't mind visitors, but there are some people that he would rather not have in his home.

"Logiebear!" Joanna Mitchell squeaks, dragging her son into a hug. Her breath smells like alcohol, so she must have stopped by the bar before coming here.

"Gabby, take James to your room." Logan instructs, glaring at his mom.

"But-"

"Go." He says sternly. When he uses that tone, Gabby knows that he means business. So she grabs James's hand and pulls him down the hallway to her bedroom. Then he faces his mother yet again, waiting for her to explain what she's doing here. If she's here to ask for money, she needs to know that he's not gonna give it to her.

"Your father got arrested again." Joanna sighs. "Could I stay here?"

"No." Logan says immediately.

"Honey, can't you help your mama out?" She pleads. Logan shakes his head, his stomach clenching and his muscles tensing. "Please?"

"I don't want you around me or Gabby." He says, gently pushing her into the hallway. "Don't show up here again. Find someone else to take you in because it's not gonna be me."

He slams the door shut and locks it, ignoring when his mom starts banging on the door. He can't give in every time she asks him for something. It's not like she has done anything for him. She hasn't tried to get sober, she hasn't offered to babysit Gabby, she hasn't done anything to make things easier on him. Therefore, she doesn't deserve his help.

He punches the wall, the frustration getting to him. A small whimper causes him to quickly calm and he turns around to see Gabby looking at him with fearful eyes, clutching her favorite teddy bear. She isn't use to seeing him so angry. He never meant to scare her. He just gets so mad when his mom shows up and thinks that he's gonna do whatever she wants.

"Hey, let's put you to bed." He says, lifting her into his arms. He gently kisses her cheek, giving James an apologetic look before taking Gabby back to her room. He pulls her covers back and lays her down, tucking her in. She looks so innocent and sweet. It breaks his heart to know that she has been through so much at such a young age.

"Why are you angry?" She asks softly.

"You don't need to worry about it." Logan assures her. "I just got a little frustrated. Just get some sleep, okay?"

He kisses her forehead before walking to the door, flipping the light switch, and walking back to the living room. He hopes that he didn't freak James out either. He can only imagine what it was like for James to not be able to hear anything, but being able to see Logan looking like he was about to explode.

James grabs his notepad and pen, scribbling something down. That's what they've been using to communicate. Logan supposes that it works pretty well. James is deaf, but he can still read. Alright, now let's see what he wrote.

**_Are you okay? :(_**

**Yeah, I'm fine**

He hands the notepad back to James and walks over to the couch, sitting down and turning the TV on. He hopes that James won't try to start a long conversation about what just happened. Logan just wants to forget about it.

* * *

He wakes up in the morning to the sound of Gabby's excited giggling. He looks at the alarm clock, which says that it's already ten thirty. He better get up now, so he doesn't have a hard time getting to sleep tonight.

He finds that James fixed Gabby a Pop Tart and put in one of her Fairly Oddparents DVD's. It looks she has found herself a new friend. James has her on his lap while she watches the show. Logan just can't resist snapping a picture with his one. You know, James is actually a pretty cool guy. Yeah, he can be very confusing sometimes, but he's nice.

"Good morning, little girl!" He says, ruffling her hair. "Did you sleep good?"

"Yep!" Gabby nods. "James got me a Pop Tart and now we're watching Fairly Oddparents!

"That's great." Logan smiles at her before grabbing his laptop off the dining table. He sits next to James and turns the computer on. He logs into Facebook, feeling a desire to change his profile pic and cover photo. He has a bunch of photos on his computer that he has saved especially for Facebook.

For the profile pic, he chooses a picture of him, Kendall, and Carlos at one of their hockey games. For the cover photo, he chooses a picture of him and Gabby, as usual. This time, it's one of them cuddling during a long car ride to San Diego with Kendall, Katie, and Mama Knight. He can tell that they were both tired in this one.

"Hey, ya'll wanna go to the Knight's house for a while?" He asks. "I think Carlos was planning to stop by."

Gabby writes something on the notepad, although she hasn't quite perfected her writing, and hands it to James. He nods eagerly and puts the notepad down, helping her off his lap. She loves going to the Knight's house. Mama Knight bakes these snickerdoodles that she and Logan absolutely love, not to mention that Kendall sometimes plays games with her.

"Let's get dressed." He says, reaching for her hand. "James, enjoy the TV."

* * *

"Honey, you and Gabby should come to our cabin with us for Christmas break." Mama Knight says as she takes some snickerdoodles out of the oven. "You two would have a much better Christmas than you would if it were just the two of you."

"I'll see." Logan says softly. He takes the snickerdoodles and places them on the kitchen island, staring down at them for a moment. He loves baking with Mama Knight, but it also reminds him of his relationship with his own mom. Mama Knight is the closest thing he has to a real mom and he loves her to death, but he can't help wishing that his real mother were different. He wishes that she weren't a druggie and an alcoholic and he wishes that she loved him.

"Gabby told me that your mom stopped by last night." She says. "Your dad is in jail?"

"Yeah." He murmurs, in serious need of a hug. So he turns around and rests his head on Mama Knight's shoulder. She wraps her arms around him, kissing his temple. She treats him as if he were one of her own and it feels really nice. One time, he got sick and she stayed over at the apartment and took care of him.

"I am so proud of you." She tells him, rubbing his back. "Always putting Gabby's needs before your own, taking care of both yourself and her, and being so strong. You're a special boy, Logan. You know that, right?"

"I don't really see what's so special about me." He whispers, his eyes closed. When he opens them back up, Gabby is standing in the archway. He pulls away from Mama Knight, walking over to his precious niece. "Mama Knight made snickerdoodles. You want one?"

She walks past him to the island, but she's too short to reach. So he grabs one of the cookies, handing it to her. She thanks him before returning to the living room. He just...he doesn't even know what to do. He's scared that his mom might show up again or, even worse, his dad. He wants nothing to do with them, especially since he has Gabby.

"I'm sorry." He says. "I'm just exhausted."

"Gabby could stay here for a few days if you want."

"No thanks." Logan says as Mama Knight pulls him into another hug. He really does wish that his own mom was as amazing as her. Unlike Joanna, she actually cares about her children. She doesn't show up drunk or high in the middle of the night either. She's responsible and caring. Logan can't help feeling jealous of Kendall sometimes.

"Hey, did anyone tell James that Lucy has still been talking to her ex boyfriend?" Carlos asks awkwardly. "Because he just sent her a text asking her out."

Oh boy...Lucy's gonna have a lot of explaining to do.

"Don't say anything." Logan tells him. "It's none of our business. Instead, let's talk about the fact that Jo Taylor is back and Kendall may or may not still like her. _That's _the relationship that we need to be thinking about."

"Remember the last time you boys tried to play matchmaker?" Mama Knight reminds them. "That didn't turn out so well."

"It's Kendall's fault for spilling hot tea all over the girl!" Carlos whines. Logan smacks his hand against his face, that particular memory flooding back to him. It was horribly embarrassing. He'll never forget the embarrassment Kendall endured that day. Logan and Carlos felt so bad afterwards, especially when the girl started ignoring him.

"Don't talk about it!" Kendall yells from the living room.

"Anyway," Mama Knight says. "Logan, please think about joining us for Christmas."

"Really," Logan smiles. "I'll think about it, okay?"

He walks to the living room and watches Gabby and James as they play a game on James's phone. He's starting to think that spending Christmas break with the Knights might be a great idea. She loves them and Mama Knight was correct in saying that Christmas will probably be boring if they spend it alone. They can't have a boring Christmas!

"James is good at this game!" Gabby chirps. Logan is gonna go out on a limb and guess that they're playing Angry Birds.

"I bet he is." He smiles. He's still not smiling on the inside, though. Maybe a Christmas break with friends will make him feel better, though.

* * *

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	6. Sick Of It

"Okay, you look horrible." Carlos tells Logan.

"I know." Logan mutters, not paying any attention to the activity in the cafeteria. He has been stressing about his mom ever since she showed up on Saturday. He just can't get over the fact that she had the nerve to ask him to take her in when they haven't seen each other in almost a year. She doesn't deserve any help from him. Maybe he is being difficult, but he has to think about Gabby's wellbeing. She needs positive influences in her life.

"Alright, what's his problem?" Camille asks, sitting in the only other empty chair at their table. Logan rests his head on her shoulder. "Logan, you still upset about-"

"I don't wanna talk about it." Logan grumbles, closing his eyes. He coughs quietly while Camille rests her head against his. He thinks he might even be getting a fever. Camille must notice because her hand is suddenly touching his forehead.

"You've got a fever." She tells him. "I think you should go to the nurse."

They all look at James when he reaches out to Logan. He must wanna go with him to the nurse. Logan allows the boy to help him out of his seat and just when he thinks that it's gonna be just him and James, Kendall and Carlos join them. He must have the best friends ever. Anytime he gets sick, they all wanna take care of him.

"You see, this is why you should have just called the cops!" Kendall says. "You know, instead of arguing with her!"

"I didn't argue with her." Logan replies as they walk to the nurses office. "I simply told her that she could not stay with us and that she needed to leave."

"Next time, just leave her alone." Carlos as they arrive at their destination. Logan flinches at the pain in his head as they walk through the door, wishing that he could just lie down. He wishes that his so called "family" would just leave him alone. He wants to move on with his life and focus on raising his niece.

"Please be careful when you open your locker." The school nurse, Mrs. Harris, tells a student with an obviously bruised nose. She hands an ice pack to the boy before sending him on his way. Then she faces her next patient, a look of genuine concern on her face. "And what's wrong here?"

"Sick." Logan coughs.

"Should I call someone to pick you up?" Mrs. Harris asks him.

"It's just me and my six year old niece." He answers, laying down on the cot.

"There's no adult that can take care of you?"

"I could call my mom." Kendall suggests. Logan feels too sick to argue, so he only listens as Mrs. Harris tells Kendall to call Mama Knight. Man, who's gonna pick Gabby up from school? He's obviously in no condition to do it himself. Stupid anxiety. Stupid stress. Stupid parents. Words can't even describe how frustrated he is.

"Just lay down until Mrs. Knight gets here." Mrs. Harris instructs. Oh, that won't be a problem.

* * *

"Your mom had no business showing up out of nowhere." Mama Knight says, placing a cool cloth against Logan's forehead.

"It's just like her, though." Logan answers. "It's like she doesn't think that there should be consequences for her actions. She neglected Kelsey and I as kids and when she did pay attention to us, she treated us like crap. Now Kelsey is dead and I've distanced myself from her, not to mention that she isn't allowed near her granddaughter."

"It's actually kind of funny how you're so young, yet you're the responsible one and your parents are, well, not responsible."

Logan can't argue with that. He had to grow up much faster than anyone else his age, while his grown parents go out and party their lives away. While they're smoking dope and chugging booze, he is raising a little girl. He wants to have a better life than his parents gave him, so he's staying away from the traps that they fell into.

"Hey, I'm gonna pick Gabby up, okay?" Mama Knight informs him. "Will you be okay by yourself?"

"Sure." Logan nods. She kisses his cheek before exiting the house. Logan reaches for a box of kleenex, taking a tissue and blowing his nose. One time, Lucy suggested that he start taking "happy pills" for his anxiety issues, but he isn't that messed up. Unless he starts having major problems, he refuses to go as far as taking medication.

"Great," He mutters. "My life has officially reached a new level of messed up. Way to go, mother!"

* * *

"Why didn't Logie pick me up?" Gabby asks as Mama Knight pulls in front of her house.

"Logie doesn't feel good." She explains as they get out of the car. She reaches for the little girl's hand, leading Gabby up the stairs. When they enter the house, Logan is right where she left him, on the comfy couch. She feels so bad for that poor guy, having to get so worked up. She doesn't know why Joanna couldn't leave him alone.

"I think he's sleeping." She whispers as Gabby walks over to her uncle. The six year old crawls onto the couch and snuggles up to Logan, giving Mama Knight a good reason to smile. It's so sweet how that child loves him so much. She treats him as if he were her real daddy. The only time she has ever seemed upset about not having a real father was the other day when that "Bring Your Dad To School" thing was going on.

"He's really warm!"

"He has a fever." Mama Knight says, removing the cloth. She touches Logan's forehead. Hmm, it seems like his fever may be going down, but not she puts the cloth back on his forehead, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Can we make him some chicken soup? He made me soup when I got sick!"

"I think he would love that." Mama Knight smiles. "Let's get to it."

Gabby is careful not to wake Logan as she gets off the couch. Mama Knight takes her hand and they go to the kitchen. Mama Knight grabs some soup from the pantry and sits it on the kitchen island. Logan has one caring niece, which is quite refreshing since Mama Knight has seen some pretty bratty children during her lifetime.

"Okay," She says, touching Gabby's hair. "Ready to get started?"

* * *

"Logie, we made soup for you!"

Logan groans as he awaken from his peaceful slumber, opening his eyes.

"Hey, baby." He says softly. "What's going on?"

"She wanted to make you some chicken noodle soup." Mama Knight tells him, handing him a bowl of soup.

"Aww." Logan smiles at Gabby, sitting the soup on the coffee table. He reaches out to his adorable niece and gives her a hug, kissing the top of her head. He's not exactly hungry, but he can't turn down soup made by his precious girl. She's so sensitive, you know? He's gonna have to suck it up and eat this soup. Besides, it does look pretty good. Kind of hard to resist.

He reaches for the bowl and spoon, scooping some up. He lightly nibbles on the combination of noodles and chicken. Wow, this _is _good. Even better, it's easy on his stomach. He knows that just about anything else would end with a trip to the restroom, where he would proceed to throw up violently. Just the thought disgusts him.

"I hope that it'll make you feel better." Gabby tells him.

"I think it will." Logan smiles. "Well, that and some medicine."

"Why did you get sick anyway?" Gabby frowns.

"When Grandma stopped by, it upset me." Logan tries to explain. "If I get too upset, I tend to get sick. I know it sounds bad, but I'm fine."

He quietly eats the soup while Mama Knight gives him a shoulder rub. Kelsey use to do that all the time. When he got frustrated, he would call her and she could come over just to calm him down. It just kills him that she's not here anymore. Him being sick only reminds him of that hurt that he has kept hidden for so long.

"How is it?" Mama Knight asks him.

"Fantastic." He tells her.

"Well, you just enjoy that." Mama Knight pats his shoulder. "I think Kendall and Katie are home. Oh, and they must have brought James and Carlos!"

* * *

"Seriously, my dad's a cop! All Logan would have had to do was call him!" Carlos insists.

"Honey, she wasn't causing any major trouble, so he wouldn't have had any reason to arrest her." Mama Knight explains. "She was just being a big nuisance."

James watches as they all converse, while he just sits in silence. He sucks at lip reading, so he has no idea what they're saying. All he can hear is silence 24/7 and he hates it, but you know what he hates more? The fact that his dad can't be home with him. Supposedly, Samuel Diamond is suppose to be coming home in a few days, but it's not the same as actually living with his family.

He looks at Katie when she sits next to him, smiling nervously. He may be deaf, but he's fully aware of Katie's crush on him. It's adorable, yet creepy at the same time. He supposes that it's harmless, though. She's at the age where she's gonna like boys and if she wants to crush on him, then so be it.

"I hope that he's not contagious." Katie says. James looks at her with curious and she points at Logan, cringing. Oh, now he gets what she's saying. Well, sort of. She must have issues with being around sick people. He understands. He gets uncomfortable when he has to set foot in the hospital.

"Katie, I'm pretty sure I'm just a little under the weather." Logan replies.

James feels perfectly fine when he's over at Logan's apartment, but he always feels a bit awkward when he goes over to the Knight's house. They're very nice people, but he's deaf and he can't even join their conversations. Hell, he can't even _listen _to their conversations. And none of them have learned sign language yet, which makes it even harder for him to communicate with them.

He feels a tap on his shoulder and he looks at Mama Knight, letting her help him off the floor. She points to the empty bowl of soup on the coffee table. He picks up and follows her to the kitchen, putting the bowl in the sink. He appreciates her trying to make him feel welcome, but the nerves just don't seem to be going away.

She pats his shoulder and he returns to the living room, going back to his place on the floor. In social situations like this (and school, of course), he finds himself really wishing that he weren't deaf. He wonders if there's a cure. If there is, he would really like to know about it because, quite frankly, he's sick of being like this.

* * *

**I hope the whole "show, not tell" thing is working:) I'm still working on that:P**

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	7. Road Trip

"Did James's dad get back from Afghanistan?" Kendall asks as he helps Logan load some suitcases into the back of the van.

"Yeah, I actually met him this morning." Logan replies. "He's a really cool guy."

He looks toward the Knight's front door, watching as Katie leads Gabby down the steps. The little girl runs toward the vehicle, anxious to get in. She's really excited about this trip. A couple years ago, Mama Knight's ex husband purchased a cabin up north and since he and Mama Knight are on good terms, he told her that she can use it whenever she likes. Logan has never seen it, though.

"Did you get everything you wanted to bring?" He asks her.

"Yep! Look, I brought Teddy!" She shows him her favorite stuffed teddy bear. He smiles and opens the door, helping her into the backseat. He reaches over and fastens her seatbelt, while she cuddles Teddy against her chest. Then he climbs in next to her, fastening his own seatbelt. He felt like dirt a few days ago and although he still doesn't feel great, he's getting better.

"I hope there aren't any maniacs on the road." Mama Knight murmurs as she starts the car, waiting for everyone to get in. Katie sits on the other side of Gabby, while Kendall sits up front with his mom.

Logan reaches into his gym bag and pulls out his cell phone (and ear buds). Ah, Boy Quake. Yes, he's secretly a big fan. They were signed with Rocque Records until they got fired. Logan heard somewhere that they kept getting into legal trouble and Gustavo Rocque finally let them go. It's too bad, though. They were very talented.

"We all hope so, mom." Kendall agrees.

Gabby nuzzles her face against Logan's arm and he puts his arm around her, resting his head against hers. They had to get up a little earlier than what they're use to. Mama Knight was hoping that they could avoid leaving too late and possibly beat the traffic. They're all pretty tired.

"Mom, remember what happened last time we went to the cabin?" Katie asks.

"Yeah, we all remember." Kendall says coolly. "Let's not talk about it."

"What happened?" Logan laughs.

"Oh, he-"

"Katie!"

"I'll tell you later." Katie whispers. Logan shakes his head, changing the song to "Skyscraper" by Demi Lovato. That song fits him and Gabby perfectly. Now, he's gonna take a nice, long nap. After getting up early, he's gonna feel a lot better once he has gotten some more sleep. When he looks down, he sees that Gabby has already dozed off. He's gonna do the same.

"When we get there, we'll relax for a while, then we'll go out to dinner." Mama Knight announces. Logan puts his cell phone/MP3 player back in his gym bag and in hardly any time at all, he has drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"This is the doll she wants for Christmas." Logan says, looking in a store window. "But I can't afford it."

"Well, I'm gonna pay for it." Mama Knight says gently. She takes his hand and leads him into the toy store, approaching the counter. Logan watches from a distance as she shows the cashier the doll in the window. It's such a beautiful doll. It's made of porcelain, with brown hair and big green eyes. She saw it in a toy store at the Grove once and she just fell in love with it.

"You don't have to-" He tells her.

"Honey, Gabby needs a Christmas present from her favorite uncle." Mama Knight pats his shoulder, smiling as the cashier approaches them with a pink paisley box filled with the doll.

"Ready to check out?" She asks them.

"Sure." Mama Knight says, taking her checkbook to the counter. Logan waits by the exit, his eyes filling with happy tears. He's beyond grateful for everything that Mama Knight does for him and Gabby. She doesn't even have to do it. She does it because she wants to. He can't cry like a little girl right now, though, because that would be embarrassing.

"Alright, the others are waiting." She says as she walks over to him, holding a medium sized shopping bag. She puts one arm around him and they exit the toy store. Obviously, they can't allow Gabby to see her present until Christmas (or Christmas Eve, possibly), so they have to put it in the very back with the rest of their luggage.

"Logie, I got ice cream!" Gabby exclaims, showing off her delicious ice cream cone...and the chocolate around her mouth.

"Alright, who has a napkin?" Logan questions, gratefully accepting one from Kendall. He kneels in front of Gabby and wipes the chocolate away. After throwing the dirty napkin away, they all get back in the van, ready to continue their road trip. Logan wonders how James is enjoying his dad's visit. Judging from the way they interacted this morning, they're really close.

"We've gotta teach you how to get all the food in your mouth, not around it." He says, lifting her into the van.

"I can't help it!" Gabby whines.

"Hey, we'll worry about it later." Logan says, kissing her cheek. Just as he gets into the vehicle himself, he sees a group of rather tough looking kids walking along the sidewalk. He recognizes two of them from school. One is Wayne Wayne (Walley Dooley is his real name, but no one is allowed to call him that) and the other is a girl named Stephanie King. She seems like a good girl that just fell into the wrong crowd.

"Ugh, Walley Dooley." Mama Knight complains, putting the key in the ignition. "He spray painted my garbage can last week."

"Jerk." Katie grumbles. Logan won't argue with that. Wayne Wayne is, like, the king of all jerks. It's too bad that he dragged poor Stephanie King into his group. They're all losers, but Stephanie isn't.

"But let's just forget about them." Mama Knight says. "We have a vacation to enjoy."

"Unless Walley Dooley decides to ruin that too." Kendall quips. Wow, what happened to Mr. Optimistic? He's usually the one giving the pep talks and looking at the positive side of things, _expecting _positive things, but not today. Hmm, he's probably getting tired. He does look worn out, just like the rest of them.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

**My dad is taking me to a Boyz In The Attic concert this weekend! :D**

Logan sighs softly and stares at the text. The other night, James admitted that he would wanna move to LA and be a musician if he weren't deaf. Chances are, that dream won't happen. Logan is glad that James is spending time with his dad, but what's the point of seeing a concert if you can't even hear the music?

"Why do you look so bummed out all of a sudden?" Katie asks him.

"No reason!" He says quickly. He clutches his phone in his hand, almost tempted to be brutally honest with James about how he feels. In the short time that he has known James, he has become rather protective of the kid. He just doesn't want James to feel bad seeing those guys up there singing and dancing...and be reminded that it'll most likely never be him up on that stage.

Instead, he types...

**That's great:) Have fun!  
**

* * *

"We're almost there!" Mama Knight says cheerfully, driving along a dirt road. Logan looks at his fellow passengers to find that they're all asleep. He occupies himself by running his fingers through Gabby's hair, watching her sleep. He knows that she'll be eager to sleep on a comfy mattress with a soft pillow and a warm blanket.

"How big is this cabin?" He asks her.

"It's two stories tall." Mama Knight replies. "Four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and everything else is beautiful too. You'll love it! You can even take Gabby out to play in the snow."

"I think that would be fun." Logan grins. "She loves playing in the snow."

Mama Knight drives farther down the road before making a right turn and continuing to drive until the vehicle comes to a stop. Not wanting to wake Gabby up. Logan unbuckles her seatbelt and carefully lifts her from the van. She won't be in a very good mood if she's woken up from her nap.

"Hey, you two! We're here!" Mama Knight tells her two children.

"Mmm..." Gabby whines. "Where are we?"

"We're here." Logan whispers. Gabby's eyes snap open and she looks around, so Logan puts her down. The cabin is just a regular two store cabin, but it is beautiful. It's a dark wood cabin with a lovely front porch that includes a porch swing and some sort of plant in a pot. The Knights decorated this place very nicely.

"I'm hungry!" Gabby tells him.

"Hungry? Baby, you just had ice cream." He says, his eyebrows furrowing.

"But that wasn't enough! I'm still hungry!" Gabby says in a whiny voice. Mama Knight approaches them with a bag of Oreos, a warm smile on her face as she hands them to the hungry little girl. She must be more aware of that child's sugar obsession than Logan thought.

"Don't eat too many." He warns, ushering her toward the front door.

"Just hope that she doesn't end up puking." Kendall whispers jokingly. "Like last time."

Logan cringes at the memory. That was only about three months ago. They had Kendall and Carlos over and they somehow managed to run out of food (they were already in need of a trip to the grocery store), except for a single bag of Oreos. Let's just say that a certain little girl was very, _very _hungry, ended up stuffing her face, and proceeded to barf all over the kitchen floor.

"Don't ever mention that again." He says firmly, glancing at his niece. As much as he hates to sound lazy, he really doesn't feel like cleaning up any messes.

"Hey, I'm just saying!" Kendall laughs. "Anyway, just be glad that Carlos isn't here! We brought corn dogs and his mom is trying to deal with his...special addiction."

Logan rolls his eyes at Kendall mentioning their friend's corn dog problem. He prays that he can deal with Gabby's sugar problem before she ends up at Carlos's level. Logan loves Carlos like a brother, but his love for food can be pretty insane sometimes.

"The cabin is beautiful." He points out, admiring the lovely decorations.

"Yeah, my dad brought some stuff in, but Mom was welcome to add the finishing touches." Kendall answers back. There's even a fireplace! Logan can't wait to make hot chocolate and sit by the fire. His tiny old apartment doesn't have any of the luxuries that this place has. He wishes he could afford a better place for him and Gabby, but some people just aren't that lucky. Sometimes you just have to accept things the way they are.

"What do you think, Gabs? You think this is gonna be fun?" He asks.

"Yeah!" Gabby giggles through a mouthful of cookies.

"Uh huh..." Logan says slowly. "Let's get unpacked."

* * *

**Did you like this chapter? I did:)**

**Review! :D**


	8. Not Alone

For Logan, sitting in bed with a good book on a cold winter night is the best way to relax. Gabby is downstairs with Kendall, Katie, and Mama Knight, so he can have some peace and quiet. He loves his niece, but he admits that he sometimes likes to get a break from her. They got back from dinner an hour ago and they've just been chilling out ever since. The beds are very comfy. Logan loves a comfy bed.

"Logie?" A timid voice whispers.

"Yeah, baby girl?" He murmurs, putting his book aside. Gabby crawls onto the bed and snuggles against him, resting her head on his chest.

"Do you think Mommy is happy in Heaven?"

Logan tears up and he tightens his arms around her, resisting the urge to cry. She just reminded him that his sister, and her mother, is dead. She didn't mean to, she was simply asking a question, but it still hurt. He's debating whether he should answer or not. To be honest, he doesn't want to. If he has to say another word, he might actually start sobbing.

"I think she's happier than anyone could ever be here on Earth." He whispers, choking up. "In Heaven, there's n-no more p-pain or sorrow, j-j-just eternal happiness."

He sniffles and looks down at the little girl, hugging her close.

"It's getting late." He tells her. "You should get to bed."

He gets off the bed and lifts her into his arms, giving her a kiss on her temple. He loves that they're a family, but he would be happier if she could still live with her mother. Kelsey was older and actually prepared to be a parent. For him, the responsibility kind of came out of nowhere. He hadn't planned on raising a child anytime soon.

"I miss mommy."

"I know you do, baby." His voice cracks more. "I miss her too."

He enters the room that she'll be sharing with Katie, laying her on the bed. Most of the time, she is very happy, but there's actually sadness in her eyes right now. Oh, his poor baby girl. If he could bring her mama back, he would. That's not possible, though. They just have to stick together and stay strong.

"Night, Logie."

"Night, Gabby." He says softly as he walks to the door, wiping his tears away.

* * *

"How has he been doing?" Samuel Diamond asks Brooke.

"He's been doing...pretty well." Brooke answers, glancing over at her son. They're talking out loud, but he's not acknowledging them because he can't hear. She'll love her baby boy no matter what, but sometimes having a deaf child gets very overwhelming. She has been doing research about surgery to possibly restore his hearing, but she doesn't know if it'll happen.

"How is he enjoying school?"

"He likes it." Brooke tells her husband. "He has made some new friends, mainly Kendall, Carlos, and Logan."

"Right...they seem like good kids." Samuel tells her. She nods, looking at James again. She walks over to the couch and sits down. She wonders if he ever gets upset about his condition. It has been several years since he expressed any real discontent with being deaf, as if he doesn't care anymore.

Well, time to use her only way of communicating with her boy: sign language.

**Have you picked out an outfit for the concert?**

James gives her two thumbs up before grabbing her hand, pulling her toward his bedroom. Sure enough, he already has an outfit laid out on the bed. Jeans, red South Pole T shirt, and a black blazer. She can already picture how adorable he's gonna look. He may be a guy, but he has a fabulous fashion sense.

**Perfect**

To her surprise, James turns around and wraps his arms around her. She's okay with this. She loves getting hugs from her boy. Sometimes he just randomly walks into a room just to give her a hug and it warms her heart. He's not like some teenagers, who insist on making their parents lives a living hell.

She rubs his back, holding onto him. She hopes that he has a great time with his dad tomorrow night, especially since they rarely see each other.

* * *

In the morning, Logan is woken up by someone jumping on the bed. He expects to see Gabby jumping, but he finds himself looking at Kendall instead. He gives his friend "The Look" after sitting up, waiting for the blonde haired leader/occasional weirdo to stop. Once the jumping has ended, he gets out of bed.

"I'm not even gonna ask." He mutters, trudging out of the bedroom.

"Don't be such a grouch!" Kendall says, throwing his arm around Logan's shoulders. "You're not getting sick again, are you? If you are, I can almost guarantee that my mom will freak out. You know how overprotective she can get."

"Trust me," Logan answers. "I know."

They walk downstairs to the dining area, where Mama Knight, Katie, and Gabby are already waiting. He takes a seat next to Gabby and Kendall sits next to him. Mama Knight sits a plate of eggs, bacon, and a slice of bread in front of him. He gives her a quiet "thank you" before proceeding to enjoy the meal.

"I think we should go on a walk later." She tells them.

"Can we, Logie?!" Gabby asks.

"Sure, princess." Logan smiles.

"I heard that there's gonna be a party on Christmas Eve." Katie announces. "Could we go to that?"

"Katie, we're not going to that party." Mama Knight says sternly. Logan agrees with her. Why party with a bunch of strangers on Christmas Eve? It's a family time and should be celebrated together, not with people that they don't know. And speaking on Christmas, he hopes that there's a store nearby because he still has to wrap presents.

"Can we find Logie a girlfriend?" Gabby asks randomly. Logan smacks his hand against his face when Kendall bursts out laughing.

"Honey, I think that's gonna have to happen on its own." Mama Knight chuckles. Gosh, Logan hopes that he's not blushing. He's already embarrassed enough. Thanks a lot, Gabby, for reminding the Knights of his inability to get a steady relationship.

* * *

"Come here, you crazy girl!" Logan says, picking Gabby up.

Kendall doesn't know if he could be any prouder of his friend. Logan has always been the most responsible out of their group of friends, but he has matured even more since he gained custody of Gabby. It's like he's a different person now. With every decision he makes, he thinks about how it'll affect Gabby. Again, Kendall is so proud, but sometimes he feels worried too.

Gabby giggles and wraps her arms around Logan's neck. He grins and tickles her tummy, making her laugh harder. Who knew that he would be put in a parenting role at only seventeen? Strangely enough, he's very good at it.

"Do you think we should have invited Carlos and his family?" Mama Knight asks.

"They're going to Colorado." Kendall answers. He had thought about inviting Carlos too, but the kid had already made plans. It would have been fun if he and James could have joined them. Four friends on vacation together? It sounds like such an awesome idea. Maybe over spring break? They could probably arrange a trip to California or even Florida!

"Baby, baby, baby, ooooh!" Gabby starts singing, catching the attention of some bystanders. They look pretty amused by her cuteness. It's even sweeter when Logan joins in, singing playfully before placing kisses all over her face. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that, in the eyes of most adults, he's considered "too young" to care for a child.

"Please don't tell me that you've caught Bieber Fever." Logan pleads. "I hear about the Biebs enough at school."

"But he's cute!" Gabby whines.

"Maybe," Logan shrugs. A smile slowly appears on his face. "But you're way cuter!"

He attacks her with more kisses and she squeals. He sits her down and he has to hold her hand to keep her from running ahead. At her age, she tends to be quite energetic, so someone usually has to hold her hand so she doesn't get lost or hurt herself.

"Be careful, girlie." Mama Knight warns her.

As they walk along the trail, Kendall sees a very pretty blonde. No, it's not Jo, but she sure does remind him of Jo. Logan, Carlos, James, Camille, Lucy, and his teammates all think that he should ask her out, but he can't do that if she's hanging out with Greg. That guy has been trying to woo her nonstop and Kendall doesn't like it.

"Hey, could we stop by that gift shop? I wanna get something for Jo." He blurts out.

"Oooh, he wants to get a present for his _girlfriend_." Katie teases. Kendall ruffles her hair and rolls his eyes. If Jo was his girlfriend, they would be cuddling by the fireplace with some hot chocolate. Are they doing that? Nope! He wishes they were, but they're not. And sadly, he doesn't know if they ever will.

"Logie, I wanna buy something for you!" Gabby pulls her uncle toward the gift shop.

"Baby, we can't-"

"I'll help you, sweetie." Mama Knight says, taking the girl's hand. "I'm sure there's something here that Logan will like."

"Mama Knight-"

"Logan, your niece wants to buy you a present." Mama Knight says before following Gabby to the opposite side of the gift shop. Kendall finds himself walking over to a glass table with various types of jewelry in it. He sees a gorgeous purple rhinestone bracelet that Jo would probably like. He knows for a fact that purple is her favorite color.

"Ma'am?" He calls out to the cashier.

"Yes?"

"I would like to buy this bracelet."

"Oh, is it for anyone special?" The young woman asks as she comes over to him with a key.

"Um, yeah." Kendall finally says. "It's for someone _very_ special."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter:D Happy New Year! I am looking forward to another year of family, friends, and fanfiction;)**

**Review! :D**


	9. Hear Me Out

"I know you can't hear, but I figured that you would enjoy seeing something different." Samuel says, ushering James over to their seats in the crowded venue. All James can hear is silence, but he enjoys seeing all the fans and the huge stage where the band will be performing. He does feel a bit sad, though. It's his dream to move to California after graduation and become a singer, but he'll never get to follow that dream. His mom isn't too sure about letting him get that surgery.

He looks at his dad, confused. Samuel Diamond did learn sign language many years ago, but after being away from his deaf son for more than two years, it seems like he has forgotten what he learned. Instead, he has started doing what Logan does to communicate with James. He uses a notebook and pen.

He hands the two items to his dad, an awkward smile on his face.

**I figured that you would like seeing something different. Your mom told me that she's pretty busy, so she doesn't have much time to take you out.**

James nods in response. Oh how true that is. His mom works for a cosmetics company, which recently opened an office here in Grand Marais. She has a demanding job, so she isn't always able to make time to spend with James. That's his special Christmas wish, though. He wants to go on a real family outing with both of his parents together.

**_Why couldn't Mom come?_**

**She had work to do**

James smiles sadly and watches the opening act onstage. The Jennifers are actually opening up for Boy Quake. They use to attend Cook County High School, then they moved to LA to start their music and acting careers. Jo could have stayed in Los Angeles like they did, but she chose to come back. At least, that's what James heard.

Samuel squeezes his shoulder and he watches The Jennifers perform. He can tell that they're performing an up tempo song, but it hurts knowing that he can't hear it. He wants to know what it's like to hear music and sing along to it. He doesn't even know what his own voice sounds like. Quite honestly, that sucks.

**You okay, buddy? You look like you're thinking about something**

**_Nothing_**

He stares at the stage, frowning. What is the song they're singing? What are the lyrics? What does the tune sound like? He doesn't know the answer to any of these questions. He doesn't like that. He wishes that he could change it, but for some reason, he was born like this. He'll never understand it, but that's just the way it is.

* * *

"Wow, she'll love that." Logan says as he helps Kendall wrap Jo's gift.

"Yeah." Kendall replies. "Now I just need to find out her address."

"Call Jett." Logan smiles. "He knows her address."

"I am not calling him to get Jo's address!" Kendall gasps. Logan rolls his eyes and sticks a bow on the small present, sitting it on the coffee table. Mama Knight took Katie and Gabby out for a walk, so it's just Kendall and Logan for a few hours. To keep themselves occupied, they've been wrapping presents, including the doll that Mama Knight helped Logan get for Gabby.

"Hey, do you think James is okay?" He asks.

"You worried about him?" Kendall questions. "Man, he's with his dad! He's fine!"

"Maybe so, but...he's deaf and his dad decided to take him to a concert. In order to enjoy something like that, you need to be able to hear. James is probably sitting through that concert, feeling all miserable."

Can he really be blamed for thinking about that? How can anyone have fun at a concert when they can't hear? Logan just doesn't want James to feel worse than he probably already does. Yeah, he feels protective of his new friend's emotions. James is one of those people that you can't help feeling protective of. He just seems so fragile and innocent sometimes.

"You've gotta stop worrying so much about everyone else." Kendall finally says. "Logan, start thinking about yourself for once. I know you try to be responsible and you care about others, but you're important too. I mean, have you seen yourself lately? You look like you haven't slept in weeks."

Logan looks at the floor, thinking about what Kendall just said. He doesn't seem to get it. Logan can't focus so much attention on himself. He has a little girl that needs a responsible parent figure in her life. Everything Logan does revolves around Gabby. With every decision he makes, he thinks about how it'll affect her.

"I'm serious." Kendall says. "I know how much you care about Gabby and even James, but you have gotta start giving yourself attention. If you don't, you're gonna end up going insane. Go to the mall by yourself for once or come to one of our hockey games!"

"Kendall, I can't-" Logan says reluctantly. "I have to put my needs aside for my niece. She's my responsibility now. As long as I get enough food and a few hours of sleep each night, I'm fine."

He can tell that Kendall doesn't agree with him. He can read his friends like a book. They don't have to say anything for him to figure out how they feel about something. It's obvious that Kendall sees his comments as, well, wrong. Maybe there are to him, but Logan knows that he's doing the right thing.

"Boys!" Mama Knight announces. "We're back!"

"We'll talk about this later." Kendall warns Logan. Yeah, he already knew that. He's not looking forward to it."

* * *

"Hey, guys! How was the concert?" Brooke says cheerfully as her husband and son walk into the apartment.

"Yeah, it was great!" Samuel replies. James just gives a small smile, even though he's not feeling as happy as he thought he would. He loves spending time with his dad, but he had a hard time really enjoying the concert. He doesn't even know what songs the band sang and he doesn't know what they sounded like. Everyone else probably went home talking about how great the band sounded and maybe even found a new favorite song. James, on the other hand, heard nothing.

"I think our boy is tired." Brooke says, giving James a hug. He rests his head on her shoulder, a frown on his face. He can feel his dad's hand on his shoulder. Actually, he's not all that tired. He's just really sad. He wants to know what it's like to hear a song and people's voices. He wants to have a vocal conversation with his friends and family.

"Yeah, he should get to bed." Samuel says, ruffling James's hair. James can see their mouths moving, but he can't hear a single word. He doesn't wanna be deaf anymore, but there's nothing he can do about it.

* * *

"Are we gonna bake Christmas cookies this year?" Gabby asks.

"Maybe." Mama Knight says, tapping her nose. "Let's see what Logan thinks."

"I think that sounds like a great idea." Logan smiles. He looks over at Kendall, who is tapping his foot against the floor and staring at Logan with a stern expression. Logan sighs heavily and gives Kendall a look in return, but he can see that his friend isn't backing down. He touches Gabby's head before following Kendall to another room.

"I told you we were gonna talk." Kendall says, shutting the door.

"Why do we have to discuss this?" Logan groans. "Can't we just enjoy the vacation?"

He sits on the floor, looking up at his blonde friend. Really, he just wants to forget that they ever had this conversation. He doesn't need anyone lecturing him about what he does with his life. He's emancipated, which means that he's legally independent. He doesn't need anyone telling him what to do.

"Don't shut me out, okay? Just listen." Kendall pleads. "I want what's best for you. I know you have a lot of responsibility on your hands, but you've gotta take care of yourself. You're seventeen years old and you need to make time yourself every once in a while. I can see how exhausted you are."

It's not that Logan doesn't appreciate the advice, but he doesn't need it. He knows what he's doing is the best thing right now. When he has finished college and has a high paying job, then he'll start doing some fun stuff. Right now, he has to focus on school, preparing for college, work, and of course, he'll be taking care of Gabby until she's eighteen.

"Kendall, you just don't get it." He says adamantly. "I can't afford to mess around. Not right now, okay? There's too much to think about."

"You always say that." Kendall complains. "I can't afford this, I can't afford that. Well, you know what? You've gotta stop that. You may not be the richest person alive, but I know that it wouldn't kill you to do something nice for yourself. For example, Camille is throwing a New Years Eve party and I'm sure she would love it if you came."

Logan smiles softly. He would like to attend Camille's party, but he doesn't know who would watch Gabby? Mama Knight babysits her all the time, but Logan feels bad that she has to do so much for him. Should he really ask her to watch Gabby just so he can go to a party?

"She hasn't even invited me yet." He says calmly.

"Yeah, but I have a feeling that she's going to." Kendall tells him. "You should see the way she looks at you sometimes. I'm telling you, man. She likes you a lot. She would probably be mad if you _didn't _show up."

Logan thinks long and hard about this. He likes Camille too. He won't admit that to his friends, but he does. Now, about that party. He really wants to go, but he doesn't know if he can. Gabby is gonna be begging for him to read her a bedtime story and he won't be there to do it.

"At least think about it, okay?" Kendall begs. "It would be fun!"

Logan sighs again. "Okay, I'll think about it."

* * *

**Review! :D**


	10. The Happiest Time Of Year?

Logan has always loved Christmas. After all, it is the happiest time of year. That has changed this year, though. Now it just feels depressing. He doesn't like feeling depressed.

"Logie, it's Christmas!" Gabby squeals. He wishes he could be as enthusiastic about it as her. Sadly, that's just not possible for him.

"Honey, let me get him up." Mama Knight says gently. Logan buries his face in his pillow, keeping his eyes closed. He's in no mood to leave this bed.

"I made breakfast." She tells him, rubbing his shoulder affectionately. "And Gabby wants you out of bed so we can start opening presents."

"I'll get up in a minute." Logan whispers. Tears start falling from his eyes and he prays that Mama Knight doesn't notice. More importantly, he hopes that Gabby doesn't notice. He doesn't want her to see him cry.

"I think some pancakes will cheer you up."

Maybe so, but probably not. Nothing could possibly cheer him up.

"Fine." He sniffles. He gets out of bed, wiping the tears from his face. He coughs, still wanting to cry. He'll have to wait until he's alone.

"It's Christmas!" Gabby repeats.

"I know, baby!" Logan fakes a smile, kissing her cheek before sitting in the chair next to her. He quietly thanks Mama Knight when she sits a plate of pancakes and a glass of orange juice in front of him.

"Can I give Logie his present?"

"After we're all done eating." Kendall tells her. The thought of opening gifts only cheers Logan up a little bit. He is excited to see Gabby's excitement when she gets her new doll. He was so worried that he wouldn't be able to get her anything good, but Mama Knight cares so much that she insisted on paying for it.

"Hey, did Jo get her gift?" Katie asks her brother.

"Yep." Kendall says proudly. "She texted me and said that she loved it."

Logan doesn't know why, but he _does_ get kind of bummed out when the guys start talking about girls. To be honest, sometimes he does wish that he had a girlfriend, then he remembers that he doesn't have time for one. Of course, he's always happy when the guys find girls to date. He'll certainly be thrilled if Kendall gets Jo to go out with him.

"Let's finish eating so we can open those presents!" Mama Knight says, joining them at the table. So they quiet down and start eating, including Logan, who really isn't all that hungry. If he had his way, he would still be in bed right now.

* * *

"Here's your gift!" Gabby practically shoves the wrapped present into her uncle's hands.

"Thanks, baby." Logan answers, tearing the paper away. A white box is revealed and it isn't long before that's opened. He smiles when he sees the Batman baseball cap, the exact one that he saw at the mall recently. Gabby must have gotten it the last time Mama Knight took her to the mall. Now that he has opened his awesome present, it's time for Gabby to open hers. "Gabby, get that present over there. It's for you!"

Gabby claps her hands and crawls over to the reclining chair, grabbing the wrapped box. She sits next to him and quickly tears the paper. Mama Knight wraps her arm around his shoulder and kisses his temple. Glancing over at Kendall, he notices an unfamiliar emotion flash across his best friend's face. Possibly jealousy?

"IT'S MY DOLLIE!" Gabby exclaims.

"We'll open it in a minute." Logan says, wrapping his arms around her. "Then you can cuddle with her."

Gabby nods, holding the box close to her. After seeing that strange look that Kendall has just a moment ago (it left as quickly as it came), Logan feels the need to give Kendall his present. He doesn't really know why the guy looked like that, but he's no fun when he's upset. Better cheer him up before he ends up in a worse mood.

"Kendall, why don't you open your present?" He says, handing a gift to Kendall.

"Sure, buddy." Kendall says, beginning to open the present. In case you're curious, it's a hockey stick. He had enough money to purchase one of the better ones, so that's what he did. Since hockey is pretty much Kendall's favorite thing, Logan thought it would be perfect.

"Wow, this is awesome!" The blonde haired boy exclaims. "Thanks, man!"

"I wanna play hockey..." Gabby mumbles.

"Maybe when you're a little older." Logan tells her. "Right now, just stick to playing with dolls."

"Hey, don't you and I get anything?" Katie asks her mother.

"Be patient, Kathryn!"

* * *

"I just adore this coat!" Mama Knight says, showing off her new tweed coat that Kendall, Logan, and Katie all bought for her. They each pitched in a little cash to buy the coat, which certainly easier than everyone buying a separate gift. They did the same for Katie and she, Kendall, and Mama Knight did it for Logan and Gabby. Katie got some book called "Easy Ways To Get Rich," Logan got a new pair of sneakers, and Gabby got a new outfit.

"And I'm gonna be rich!" Katie cheers. She needs to get help because Logan is starting to think that she has some underlying issues.

"Now, that we've opened all our presents, let's go outside." Mama Knight says, reaching for Gabby's hand. "I'm sure that this little lady would like to play in the snow."

Logan takes her other hand as they walk out the door, stepping out into the cold Minnesota weather. As soon as they let go of her hands, she practically jumps into the snow, almost making Logan fear that she might end up hurting herself. He doesn't even like to take her out on the ice because of that fear. He would not feel like a very good guardian if he let her get injured.

"Katie, take the book back inside."

"Yes, big brother."

Katie returns to the cabin, while the rest of them watch Gabby rolls around in the show. Next thing Logan knows, a pair of arms are wrapped around his leg. He gives his niece a soft smile and strokes her hair, surprised when she grabs the sleeve of his coat and starts pulling him out into the snow with her.

"Play with me, Logie!"

"Okay!" He says, chasing after her. She squeals as he grabs her and he throws her over his shoulder, spinning her around.

"Don't hurt yourselves!" Mama Knight laughs.

"Are you having a merry Christmas, baby girl?" Logan asks his niece, giving her a light squeeze. She nods and in response, he gives her a little kiss. He's having so much fun with her, but Christmas would definitely be a lot better if her mommy was still here. And they don't know where her dad is, so she doesn't have any parent.

"MOM, I THINK I SAW A RAT!" Katie screams.

"I'll be there in a minute!" Mama Knight calls out. She sighs heavily, looking at Kendall and Logan. "Please stay out of trouble, okay? I don't want this day to get any crazier."

* * *

James has always hated family gatherings. For anyone else, these occasions might have been fun, but not for James. He always feels so left out because while everyone else is engaging in fascinating conversation, he just sits around, feeling confused. He sees everyone's lips moving, but can hear no words.

He looks up from his seat when his mom taps on his shoulder. She motions for him to follow her and they walk to his aunt's living room, where most of the guests are seated. He was hoping to stay in the living room and avoid having to interact with anyone. What's the point if he can't hear what they're saying?

Brooke speaks to her mom, his grandmother, who smiles politely and offers her hand to James. He accepts the gesture, shaking her hand, although he'd rather just go home. He'd be having much more fun with Logan and Gabby. Unfortunately, they're out of town with Kendall and his family. Carlos is in Colorado, so James is pretty much alone.

**Are you okay?**

He fakes a smile in his mom's direction, trying his best to resist glaring. Of course he's not okay. He's attending a party that he has no interest in being at. It's not that he doesn't love his family, but he can't stand parties. Camille is having a party next weekend and James has no intention of going. He kind of wants to, but he would be miserable the whole time.

James really hates that he can't hear what's being said. Who knows what people are saying about him? At school, he occasionally sees some popular guys talking and looking in his direction, but his stupid condition prevents him from having any idea what's going on. He's so tired of living like this.

He feels a hand on his shoulder and he turns around to face his grandma, letting her give him a hug. She's saying something, but he doesn't know what that something is.

**_What did she say?_**

His mother says something to his grandma before signing to him.

**She was saying that it's great to see you again.**

James smiles sadly before heading back toward the dining room. But something stops him. He looks around and observes the other guests, who are chatting excitedly, some even appear to be laughing. His eyes fill with tears and he feels like he can't breathe. He has to get out of here. This is just too much for him.

He sprints out of the house, desperate to get away. As soon as he's outside, he whips out his cell phone, sending a text to Logan. It seems like Logan is the only person that he really feels comfortable communicating his feelings to.

_**Please message me back:( I'm freaking out!**_

He presses send before lowering himself onto the porch swing, tears streaming down his cheeks. He hates being deaf. Why couldn't he be like everyone else?

He glances at his phone again, but Logan still hasn't replied back. He needs a friend to talk to so badly. He needs Logan, the one person in his life that really gets him.

With his condition, it takes him five minutes to realize that his parents have joined him. He looks at them, more tears beginning to fall. Christmas day is suppose to be a happy time. Instead, his day is turning out to be a disaster. If it has been just him and his parents, he most likely would have been fine. Instead, they decided to bring him to this gathering. He just wants to go home, away from all these people.

* * *

**Here's that chapter I promised! I hope you like it:D**

**Guess what! I got the Big Time Rush Wii game! :D**

**Review! :D**


	11. Paranoia

"I thought you and I were gonna cuddle!" Logan tickles Gabby's tummy. She's laying under her covers with her new doll, cuddling it against her tummy. She giggles as Logan tickles her, pushing his hand away. He chuckles, sitting on the edge of the bed. They've had a busy day and they're all in need of a good night's sleep, except for Logan. Surprisingly, he's not tired at all.

"Good night, kiddo." He whispers, giving her a gentle hug. She mumbles "Night, Logie" as her eyes begin to close and Logan tucks her in, getting off the bed and flipping the light switch as he leaves the bedroom.

The walk to his room is a fast one. As soon as he's alone, he shuts the door and grabs his phone off the dresser. He hasn't checked his messages in a while. Hmm, there's one from James._ Please message me back! I'm freaking out! _Well, Logan better find out what's going on. In the short time they've known each other, he really has grown to care about James.

_Are you okay? :(_

He sits on the bed and waits to see if James will answer back, but...wait a minute! His cell phone beeps and he sees that James has responded.

**Get on video chat? Please?**

Logan quickly grabs his lap top, turning it on. James must be really upset, which is pretty strange since he doesn't seem to get upset too easily. Most of the time, even with his condition, he's pretty calm, even happy. Of course, even he probably has his bad days, just not very often. He deserves to have a friend that he can talk to.

When he finally gets onto video chat, James is sitting on his own bed, tears streaming down his cheeks. Logan frowns as he sends another text to the boy, asking him what's wrong. James's response breaks his heart.

**The party was awful. Everyone was talking and I couldn't hear what they were saying. I desperately wanted to join their conversation, but I couldn't because I can't talk. I don't wanna be like this anymore, Logan.**

Logan stares at James, who is clutching the phone in his hand. Out of nowhere, the deaf boy drops his phone and buries his face in a pillow, shaking lightly. What is Logan gonna do? He wishes that he could fix James's condition, but there's nothing he can do. All he can do is be supportive, but he would love to do more than that.

_Jay, buddy? I'm sorry you had such a bad day. I've been pretty down today too. I really miss my sister:(_

James reaches for his cell phone and he reads the new message, looking up at the computer screen with tearful eyes. He looks like he might start crying again. Logan's eyes soften even more, gently touching the screen. He would love to give James a hug right now, but he won't be home for a few more days.

James grabs a picture off his bedside table, holding it in front of him. It's a picture of James as a little kid and another boy next to him. Moments later, Logan receives a text from him.

**Six months ago, my cousin died in a car accident.**

That's enough to make Logan wanna start crying himself. His sister died in a car accident six months ago. Man, he and James have a lot more in common than he originally thought. They had family members who died around the same time.

_Jay, I didn't know. What happened?_

**I don't really know what happened for sure. My mom said that he got into a fight with his girlfriend and he went out to some bar, got drunk, tried to drive home, and he crashed into another car, killing both himself and the other driver.**

Logan gasps, staring at the computer screen. That is _exactly _how Kelsey died. It couldn't be...no way! James's story sounds so familiar, but Logan doesn't wanna believe that his cousin had something to do with Kelsey's death.

_Jay, I've gotta go. I'll talk to you later._

He clicks out of the video chat window, turning his computer off. He hates to think that James's cousin might be the one that took Gabby's mother away from her. James and his mom are such nice people and it seems like everyone else in their family would likely be the same way. The Diamonds seem so...put together, you know?

Logan probably just needs to get some rest. He'll be able to think more clearly tomorrow.

* * *

"Logan, are you alright? You've been pretty quiet this morning." Mama Knight says, touching his shoulder.

"I'm just...I'm fine." Logan lies. He taps his fingers against the dining table, staring down at his barely eaten meal. He got those few hours of sleep, but they didn't help that much. He stayed awake for most of the night, contemplating what James revealed about his cousin. The story about how the accident happened...it sounds too much like the cause of Kelsey's accident, the accident that took her away from her daughter and brother.

"Oh, here we go again." Kendall finally groans.

"Kendall, what are you going on about?" Mama Knight questions.

"Logan may be stressed and he needs people, but he doesn't need to be treated like a baby."

Logan shakes his head and gets up from the table, wiping his eyes as he leaves the room. Even Kendall is getting sick of him. He knows that he's probably a pain to deal with, but the past six months haven't exactly been easy on him. In fact, his life has never been easy! Living with parents who didn't care and being in charge of his niece at seventeen years old! That's pretty hard on him. Does Kendall really expect him to act normally when he's so stressed out? As Logan's best friend, you'd think he would have more understanding.

"Logie?"

"Gabby, finish your breakfast." He says softly. To his surprise, Gabby runs up to him and wraps her arms around his leg. It's definitely hard raising her at his age, but it's times like this that he realizes that it's worth it. He loves Gabby and he would do anything for her. He just gets a little exhausted sometimes and it messes with his emotions.

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm fine, baby girl." He whispers. "I'm just tired. Maybe I need to get some more sleep. Now, just go and finish eating."

She runs back to the dining area, while Logan stands alone in the hallway. He turns around and enters the office, shutting the door.

* * *

"Kendall Donald Knight, what is the matter with you?" Mama Knight scolds.

"Yeah, what-"

"Katie!"

"Mom, you treat him more like a son than me!" Kendall argues. Mama Knight cannot believe what she's hearing!

"Kendall, you know that's not fair. I love you both _equally."_

Okay, while they're going at it, Katie is gonna check on Logan. She walks down the hallway to the office, where Logan is probably moping. She just doesn't understand her family sometimes. Normally, Kendall and their mom are really close, then Kendall starts getting in his moods and he insists on causing an argument. In some situations, the ability to argue could be a good thing, but not when it comes to parents. Even Katie knows that you _do not _argue with your parents. She learned the hard way.

"Logan?" She asks, pushing the door open. "What's going on with you?"

"I've got the world's worst headache." Logan complains. Anyone else would probably start talking right away, but Katie is perfectly content with just sitting here. She sits on the floor next to Logan, who has become like a second older brother to her. He doesn't even complain about her crush on James like Kendall does.

"Well, maybe what I'm about to say will amuse you." Katie tells him. "My brother and my mom are arguing because Kendall thinks that she's more attentive toward you."

"And how is that considered amusing?"

"Um...I have no idea."

Okay, maybe Katie isn't so good at cheering people up. She never has been! Her thing is pulling pranks on people and possibly driving them to near insanity. That's what happened the last time her mom tried to hire a babysitter for her. Since then, her mom just makes Kendall babysit her. He isn't too crazy about that idea, though.

"Did something happen that freaked you out?" She asks awkwardly.

"Um, well..." Logan hesitates. "I was talking to James last night and he told me about his cousin that died in a car accident six months ago. The strange thing is that my sister, Gabby's mom, also died in a car accident six months ago. He apparently got into a fight with his girlfriend, went to a bar and got wasted, tried to drive home, and crashed into another vehicle, killing himself and the other driver. That is _exactly _how Kelsey died."

Katie has to agree that this sounds very strange, but if there's anything she has learned in her eleven years of life, it's that you can't jump to conclusions. Before you can do that, you have to get the facts. For all Logan knows, this could be a pure coincidence.

"Do you think his cousin was the guy that...you know."

"I don't know." Logan murmurs. "Maybe I'm wrong, but it sounds awfully suspicious."

"Yeah, I can't argue with that." Katie agrees. She can hear Kendall and Mama Knight arguing in the kitchen, which she thinks is kind of stupid. For the love of God, can they drop it? Katie loves her brother, but sometimes he can be pretty hardheaded. The anger management problems don't really help.

"Just forget about it, Katie." Logan says. "I'm just being paranoid."

"You do have a tendency to-"

"Okay, let's not go too far."

"Who says I'm going too far? Did a little honesty ever kill anyone?"

"You mean like the time that Carlos told Stephanie King that her prom dress made her look fat?" Katie asks flatly. "She nearly killed him!

"Don't remind Carlos about that." Logan laughs. "It took him weeks to get over the embarrassment."

Katie rests her head on Logan's shoulder, hoping that she at least managed to make him feel a little better. She's not a miracle worker, but the least she can do is improve Logan's mood a little bit. Even Gabby would agree that Logan is no fun when he's not feeling good. The same goes for Kendall, who has some emotional problems of his own. Anger issues, occasional defiant tendencies, blah blah blah. He's great, but he can be a pain too. But maybe it's just a teenage boy thing. That's what their mom seems to think.

"You know, maybe Gabby's right." She finally says. "Maybe you do need a girlfriend."

"If I hear that one more time-"

"You'll what?"

"I'll think of something."

"Haha," Katie says sarcastically. "Sure you will."

* * *

**My day was pretty stressful (I'm fine now, though:P), but I hope that you love this chapter;) I had fun with it and I think the upcoming chapters are gonna be even better;)**

**Gosh, I hope there aren't too many typos! I use to have a lot of typos in my writing and I'm trying to work on that, but sometimes it just happens:P Feel free to let me know if you catch anything, so I can fix it:)**

**Review! :D**


	12. Truth And Lies

**Are you excited for Logan and Kendall to get back?**

James nods in response to Carlos's written question, watching as his mom cleans up around Logan's kitchen. He has a couple of plants that require daily care, so he trusted James's mom enough to give her a key to the apartment. James has admittedly snooped around Logan's room a couple of times, but only because he's curious about his new friend. Besides, it's not like he looked at anything super personal. Mostly just a photo album that he keeps by his bed.

He looks up as his mom speaks to Carlos, letting her reach out to stroke his hair. Although he hates sounding clingy, he wants Logan back soon. He just feels more comfortable around Logan for some reason.

**I think they're back! I heard someone knocking!**

James eagerly follows Carlos and his mom to the door, watching as Brooke pulls the door open. Sure enough, Logan enters the apartment, holding Gabby in his arms. He's speaking to Brooke and Carlos, but James doesn't know what they're saying. You see? This is what he really hates about being deaf. He can _see _people talk, but he can't hear the words coming from their mouths.

He goes to hug Logan, but for some reason, Logan doesn't hug him back. Instead, he ignores James and puts Gabby down, following her into the kitchen. James looks at Carlos, who shrugs. Did he do something wrong?

He grabs his notepad and pen off the coffee table, following Logan. The boy gets a Coke from the fridge, taking a sip. He even shares some with Gabby, but he doesn't offer James any. Okay, what is going on? He's acting unusually cold, even though he and James haven't seen each other in almost two weeks.

**_What's wrong?_**

He shows the message to Logan, who only proceeds to push past him. Gabby doesn't seem angry with him, though. She takes his hand and they walk back to the living room, where Logan and Carlos are sitting on the couch.

**Gabby? Can you tell Logie that I need to talk to him alone?**

He holds his notepad in front of Gabby, hoping that she has learned to read. James learned how to read in kindergarten. His teacher was pretty amazed at how fast he learned, considering his condition. He has amazed many more since then. Even though he's deaf, he's definitely not stupid. He doesn't do terrible in school, even though he does require some accommodations.

Gabby tugs on Logan's shirt, whispering something in his ear. He nods slowly, looking somewhat nervous. He gets up, ruffling his niece's hair. Then he walks past James, who follows him to his room. He shuts the door as soon as they're both in, giving Logan a look that says "What the hell is wrong with you?"

**You have been acting weird ever since I told you about my cousin!**

Logan clenches his jaw and takes the notepad from James, scribbling something down. Then he hands the notepad back to James, who carefully reads the message.

**_You said that your cousin had been arguing with his girlfriend, got drunk at a bar, tried to drive home, and got into an accident that killed himself and the other driver. Well, that's what I was told about the guy that killed my sister, Gabby's mom._**

James shakes his head as he looks at Logan, frowning. What is Logan trying to say? That James's cousin is the driver that killed Kenzie's mom? Reluctantly, he hands the notepad back to Logan.

**_James, do you remember the name of the person your cousin killed?_**

James's eyes fill with tears as he accepts the pen from Logan, nodding. With a shaky hand, he writes the name down. How could he possibly forget? His mom had spoken to his aunt on the phone and when she told James what happened, he asked her who the other victim was and she told him.

**Kelsey Mitchell**

He can't stand to see Logan's face when the poor guy reads the name. When he finally does get the courage to look up, he knows that Logan is angry. Maybe not with him, but just...angry. Out of nowhere, Logan throws the notepad across the room, knocking the lamp off the end table. James tries to reach for his arm, but he roughly pushes James away, storming out of the room.

They definitely won't be having a Welcome Home celebration anytime soon.

* * *

"Logan, what-" Carlos says as Logan walks to the door. He jumps as the door is opened and slammed shut, definitely unsure of what is wrong with his friend. James looks desperate when he emerges from the bedroom, tears in his eyes. Carlos would try to comfort him, but someone needs to go after Logan.

"Logan!" He calls out, leaving the apartment. He sees the distraught boy walking around the corner to the elevator and he follows, catching up to Logan just in time. He doesn't know what happened with James, but you can bet that he's gonna find out.

"What happened?" He asks, touching his friend's shoulder.

"James's cousin...killed my sister." Logan says, his voice trembling. Carlos gasps quietly, not wanting to believe what Logan just told him. He didn't hear wrong, though. James's cousin killed Kelsey? Yeah, it's shocking, but that's no reason to be angry at James. After all, he didn't do anything. He had no control over what his cousin did.

"Oh, Logan." He whispers, pulling his best friend since kindergarten into a hug. Logan buries his face in Carlos's shoulder, bursting into quiet sobs. Carlos rubs his back, holding him tightly. It's so heartbreaking to hear Logan cry, which doesn't happen very often. The last time Carlos saw Logan cry was when he and Kendall went to Logan's apartment after he was told about Kelsey's death.

He hears footsteps behind him and James soon appears beside them, tears in his eyes. Carlos gives him a sad smile, wanting him to know that no one is mad at him, not even Logan. He doesn't need to feel guilty for any reason.

Carlos holds out one arm, reaching out to James. The boy joins the hug, giving Logan a light squeeze. It's sweet how he seems to care about Logan so much. He hasn't even been here that long, yet he seems to care about Logan as much as Kendall and Carlos do. It's hard not to love Logan Mitchell. Even the school bullies notice Logan's likability.

"Tell him to get away from me." Logan whispers tearfully.

"Come on, don't be mad at him." Carlos pleads. "It's not his fault."

"But he never told me!" Logan sobs. "He never had the decency to tell me that his cousin is the reason that Gabby doesn't have a mom and I'm stuck taking care of her!"

A small whimper is heard, but not from any of the three boys. They all look up to see Gabby standing there, watching them with tears suddenly falling down her cheeks. Logan's hurt expression has been replaced with one of regret.

"Gabby-" He breathes out. The little girl whimpers again as he starts to follow her, running in the opposite direction. "Gabby, I didn't mean it!"

Carlos looks at James, giving his shoulder a squeeze. When someone comes home from vacation, it should be a happy occasion. Today, however, has been a complete disaster so far. Carlos is gonna need some Tylenol once this day is over with.

* * *

"Gabby!" Logan calls out, wiping away tears as he rushes back into the apartment. He arrives at Gabby's bedroom door just as she slams it shut. Okay, she's only six. Isn't it usually teenage girls that slam doors in people's faces? Ugh, that's not the problem, though. The problem is that she heard him say that he was "stuck" taking care of her.

"Is everything alright?" Brooke asks worriedly.

"Yeah." Logan sniffles, wiping more tears away as they fall. He reaches for the doorknob, turning it. Luckily, Gabby didn't bother locking it, so he is able to enter. Logan feels even worse now. Gabby is laying on her bed with her teddy bear, hugging it while she whimpers softly. He never meant to make her think that he doesn't want her around.

"Baby? Can we talk?" He asks softly, sitting on the bed. Gabby shakes her head, pulling her blanket over her head. "Well, I'm gonna talk anyway. I need you to listen to me, baby girl. I _never _want you to think that I don't enjoy taking care of you. I do! It's just that most people my age don't have so much responsibility and...it gets really stressful."

Gabby whimpers again.

Logan lays next to her, playing with her hair. "I love you so much. I love that you and I are a family, but that doesn't mean that I don't get stressed. Honestly, I get tired sometimes and I get cranky, but I love you and I love taking care of you."

"Why are you mad at Jay?" She questions, rolling over to look at him. Logan sighs softly, kissing her forehead. He's not mad at James, but he is upset that James never told him the truth. How can he explain this to Gabby? She adores James and Logan can only imagine how she'll feel when she finds out that one of James's family members killed her mommy.

"I'm...I'm not, baby." He responds. He proceeds to tell her a huge lie. "I'm just really tired."

Okay, maybe that's only a partial lie. He really is tired, but he failed to tell Gabby the truth about her mom's death. She's too young to know the truth, though. Maybe he'll tell her when she's older! He doesn't want to ruin her relationship with James. She really loves him a lot and Logan wouldn't feel right about telling her the truth right now.

"Logie?"

"Yeah, honey?" He murmurs softly.

"Do you really love me?"

"Of course I do." Logan says. "Why would I lie about that?"

"I dunno!"

"I wouldn't." Logan answers, pulling her closer to him. He never wants her to feel like he doesn't care about her. As hard as raising her might be for him, he loves her and he wouldn't trade her for anything. She's his whole world and he doesn't care that he may be "too young" to raise her. He's gonna keep doing it, no matter how challenging it might be.

* * *

**I love this chapter:) I really do**

**I'm starting my FOURTH semester of college next week! :O It's going by insanely fast!**

**Now, back to Fanfiction! Please click the lovely review button;) **


	13. Happy New Year

"Gabby, be good for Mama Knight, okay?" Logan kneels in front of her, giving her a kiss. "You can stay up until midnight, okay?"

"Okay, Logie!" Gabby replies.

"She'll be fine." Mama Knight ushers him toward the door. "Have fun at the party."

He was invited to Camille's New Years party and Carlos practically begged him to go. There's just one problem. James will be joining them and he's the last person that Logan wants to talk to. He still can't get over the fact that James lied to him, even though it has been days since he found out. Something tells him that it's gonna be a while before he can forgive James. Friends are suppose to be honesty with each other. James wasn't honest with him.

"Come on!" Carlos says, reaching for his arm. He follows his short friend down the hallway and into the elevator, hoping that he can sit in the front of the car with Kendall. Mama Knight advised him to stop avoiding James, but he can't do that. It feels impossible for him to get over being lied to.

"Are you gonna stop avoiding James?"

Ugh, he knew Carlos would ask that.

"Nope."

"Do you realize that you're being a huge jerk to him?"

Logan snaps his head in Carlos's direction, shooting him a dirty look. He's getting real sick and tired of being criticized for his decisions. His parents already hate him for getting emancipated, so the last thing he needs is more criticism. His mom doesn't even think he's responsible enough to care for Gabby, which is ironic because she is the least responsible person he knows.

"How am I being a jerk?" He questions.

"James never meant to hurt you." Carlos says. "But you insist on avoiding him like the plague."

Logan scoffs, shaking his head. How stupid is that? He's avoiding James for a reason, yet no one seems to understand that. Everyone thinks that that _he _is wrong. Doesn't anyone care a little bit about how he feels? It sure doesn't seem like it.

"At least consider talking to him." Carlos tells him as they exit the elevator. "He feels really bad and you not talking to him makes him feel worse."

Logan has decided to ignore him. He doesn't get it at all. No one does! Logan was already grieving his sister's death, then he found out that his friend's cousin is the one that killed her! He may seem like he's just being difficult, but he honestly can't help. He wants to forgive James, he really does, but it's not as easy as people might think.

James is sitting in the back seat of Kendall's care, while Kendall is sitting behind the wheel. Logan chooses to sit in the front passenger's seat, ignoring Carlos's frustrated groan. Looking at James in the rear view mirror, he does feel kind of bad. The poor kid is looking out the window, not even looking up when Carlos touches his shoulder.

"Logan, James has a message for you." Carlos says, handing the notepad to him.

**_I'm sorry_**

For a moment, Logan feels so tempted to write back, but he ends up handing the notepad back to Carlos without writing a single word.

* * *

"Hey, the guys are here." Lucy informs Camille.

"I'll talk to you guys later." Camille tells the group of partygoers, exiting the kitchen. She smiles when she sees Kendall, James, Carlos, and Logan. Wow, Logan looks even cuter than usual, even though he doesn't look happy. She knows why, though. Carlos told her what happened between him and James, so she's not entirely oblivious. She feels so bad for the poor guys.

"Hey!" She greets, giving Logan a hug. She gives James a hug too, since he's probably worried that everyone is mad at him. They already know that Logan isn't speaking to him, which probably doesn't feel so good. Camille knows that she would be miserable if Logan ignored her. In fact, she doesn't know if she could stand it.

"Great, they brought the loser." Greg murmurs to his posse. He has his arm around Jo's waist, pulling her closer every time she tries to walk away. Are they even dating? She told Camille about the bracelet that Kendall got her for Christmas, which makes it seem like _Kendall _is the guy that she should be dating.

It's a good thing that James can't hear what Greg said. He seems like the type that would be really sensitive if he could hear.

"Hey, dorks!" Greg says, snatching James's notepad from Carlos. They all watch curiously as he starts scribbling something on the page. Camille doesn't like where this is going. She has a terrible feeling that Greg is about to write something really mean.

"I hope you can read." Greg shoves the notepad back into James's hands, taking Jo's hand and leading her away. After James has read whatever was written, Logan takes it from him and the others look over his shoulder.

LOSER

Before anyone can try to comfort James, he's out the door. That's when the others notice the way Logan's eyes have darkened. For the first time in a really long while, he looks completely, utterly pissed off. Like, he looks angry enough to hurt someone. He starts to follow Greg, but Kendall and Carlos grab him before he go and do any damage.

"Logan, just go after James." Camille instructs, ushering the angry boy toward the door. Instead of getting arrested for assault, he should be repairing his friendship with James.

* * *

James should have never agreed to go to this stupid party. Camille is great, but he should have known better than to agree to this after what happened at the Christmas gathering with his family. That reminded him of his hatred for social gatherings, so why did he forget again? When Camille invited him to her party, he should have known that something would go wrong.

Even when someone reaches out to grab his shoulder, he still keeps walking. That is, until the mystery person _forces _him to stop and turn around. He comes face to face with Logan, who looks genuinely concerned about him for the first time in days. Obviously, they can't talk about it and Logan didn't bring James's notepad, so all they can do is hug it out.

Logan gently rubs James's back, while tears fall down the boy's face. James needed a hug from Logan, even before this most recent ordeal happened. He always feels better when he can be close to Logan, since he never had any siblings to get close to. Logan is the closest thing he has to a brother.

He never wanted to lie to Logan. When Logan first revealed his sister's name, James was terrified because he realized that Logan's sister was the other victim in his cousin's accident. He didn't wanna say anything at the time because he was terrified of losing his closest friend. He can't stand the thought of losing Logan.

He pulls away and Logan motions for him to rejoin the party. Even though he doesn't want to, he follows Logan back to the house.

**Three hours later**

"FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE!" The partygoers chant. "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Logan looks at Kendall and knows that his blonde friend has thought of the perfect way to get back at Greg. The minute the new year arrives, Kendall reaches out to Jo and kisses her passionately, which she doesn't seem to have a problem with at all. It's obvious that Greg has a problem with it, though.

Good luck, Kendall.

* * *

"How was the party?" Mama Knight asks as Logan and James return home.

"It didn't start out so great, but it got better." Logan answers. "Hey, where's-"

"LOGIE!"

Gabby jumps into her uncle's arms and he smiles as he gives her a tight hug, kissing her cheek. He's incredibly happy to see her, but he does have an important question for her. Before he left for the party, he had told her what he expected to see when he got home. A six year old girl in her bed. Is that what he's seeing right now? Nope!

"Gabby, you need to be in bed." He says, carrying her to her room.

"I was in bed!" Gabby replies. "Then I heard you come home, so I got up to greet you!"

Logan chuckles. "Okay, baby."

"Did you kiss Camille at midnight?"

"No, Gabby, I didn't kiss her." Logan grins, giving her another kiss. He tucks her in before getting up and leaving the room, deciding that it's time for him to make things right with James. When James saw what Greg had written about him and he ran out of the house, Logan couldn't bring himself to stay mad anymore.

James is in the kitchen with Mama Knight, helping her wash dishes. Logan taps his shoulder and leads him to the living room, where they can talk privately. Well, write. They didn't forget to get the notepad before they left, minus the page with the "LOSER" remark, which they threw away before leaving the party.

**I'm sorry that the party didn't start out well**

**_It's not a big deal. Even if the Greg thing hadn't happened, it still wouldn't have been that fun for me. I've never liked social gatherings that much. I always feel so awkward!  
_**

Hmm, Logan may not be deaf, but it seems like he and James have something else in common. He has never been that crazy about parties either. He only went to this one because Camille wanted him there. If he had his way, he would have rang in the new year with Gabby.

**Same here:P**

**_Hey, why didn't you stay home and ring in the new year with Gabby?_**

Logan's smile slowly fades. He already felt guilty about ditching Gabby on New Year's Eve for a party, but seeing James remind him only makes him feel more guilty. He feels kind of selfish now. He went to a stupid party when he should have been at home with his niece. Even though she doesn't seem angry with him, he's sure that she wishes he had been at home.

**_I didn't mean to make you feel bad!  
_**

He doesn't write a thing this time. He gives James an assuring smile, even though he feels just plain guilty inside.

* * *

**Review! :D**


	14. My World

"Dude, the cheerleaders are doing a car wash after school!" Carlos says excitedly.

"And I should care because..." Logan says with a confused smile.

"Did you not hear me say the word _cheerleaders_?!" Carlos exclaims. "Logan, babes in tank tops and tiny shorts washing cars! It's totally hot!"

"Sorry, man." Logan says apologetically. "I have work."

Carlos frowns, crossing his arms. Don't get Logan wrong. Being a teenage boy, he would love to watch cheerleaders wash cars, but he can't miss anymore work. He can't do the things that he use to do, no matter how much he might want to. He really hopes that his friends understand that. He's pretty certain that they do, but sometimes he wonders.

"You couldn't skip?"

"No." Logan says, closing his locker. Really, the idea of seeing pretty girls rubbing sponges all over vehicles sounds appealing, but the last thing he needs is to get fired. Besides, he also has to pick Gabby up and bring her to work with him. If he hadn't already missed several work days (with permission from his boss), he probably would go to the car wash.

"But Kendall and James are going!" Carlos whines.

"I know, but I can't go." Logan says as they start walking toward the entrance. He hates disappointing Carlos, but he has to keep his priorities in order. He realizes that his friends probably wish that he didn't have so much responsibility, but that's just the way life has to be. He has to put his niece, his education, and his job before anything else.

"I heard that Camille is gonna be there." Carlos sings.

"I know, but I still can't go!" Logan laughs.

"Darn it!"

"I'll call you later!" Logan says, walking out the door. Okay, he really does hate missing out on all the fun stuff. He misses going to parties and extra curricular events. It's not like he can do anything about it, though. Again, he has to focus on what's important. Once he has finished college and has a good paying job, then he can have fun. Until then, he's gonna have to hold off on the fun stuff.

He walks to his car, getting into the driver's seat. He starts the vehicle, backing out of the parking space. First, he drives to the elementary school. He parks in his usual space, getting out of the car. He starts walking toward the building, waving at Gabby as she walks out the double doors.

"Logie, I made a 100 on my spelling test!" Gabby says, showing him the paper.

"Great job!" He says, giving her a hug. "You ready to go?"

When Gabby nods, he takes her hand and leads her back to the car. She gets into the back seat and fastens her seatbelt, while Logan gets behind the wheel. He restarts the vehicle and heads straight to the convenience store, ready for another day at work. This may sound strange, but he kind of enjoys working at the convenience store. It keeps him busy, you know?

"You what I want?"

"What is that, baby girl?" He asks her.

"A puppy!"

Logan chuckles. "Maybe in a few years."

"Aww, phooey."

Logan wouldn't mind getting Gabby a pet, since having one would be a great way for her to learn about responsibility, but he's pretty sure that they don't have the money or time to care for an animal. Like he just said, maybe they'll get a puppy in a few years. He just hopes that it won't chew up their furniture.

Finally, he arrives at the convenience store. He's not the least bit surprised to see Stephanie King standing outside, talking on her cell phone. She and her "friends" come here a lot. Logan doesn't mind Stephanie, but he does have a problem with the people she hangs out with. They're just a bunch of troublemaking punks!

"You can color while I'm working, okay?" He tells Gabby. "I think I have a My Little Pony coloring book for you."

"Yay!" Logan protests as Gabby hurriedly runs into the store, but she doesn't pay attention. He gets relief when she finally stops at the table, crawling into a seat. He takes a coloring book out of his back pack, placing it and a box of crayons in front of her. That'll hopefully keep her busy for the next few hours.

* * *

The first couple of hours are a success. It's after that when things go wrong. Around five thirty, an unwanted visitor enters the convenience store. When Logan looks up and sees his mom talking to Gabby, his blood boils. Oh, what is she doing here?! He thought he told her to leave him and Gabby alone!

"Mom?" He says coldly. "What are you doing?"

"Honey, this is public property." Joanna answers. "You may have been able to keep me out of your apartment, but you can't stop me from coming here."

"If you don't stay away from us, I swear I'll get a restraining order." Logan says angrily. He gently grabs Gabby and forces her to get behind him, he doesn't want his mom anywhere near her. She is the last person that has any business around a six year old girl. He would love to be able to trust her, but he just can't.

"You wouldn't do that!" Joanna retorts.

"Yeah, I would." Logan says, calming down when Gabby clings to his leg. He rarely gets angry in front of her, so he supposes that this is scaring her. He's gonna try to get his mom to leave, but he doesn't know how he can do that without her using the whole "public property" excuse.

"Joanna!"

Oh no...

"Ryan, our son doesn't want me here." Joanna says, faking tears. Logan rolls his eyes, lifting Gabby into his arms. He pushes some hair away from her face, his heart sinking when she rests her head on his shoulder. Don't his parents have any consideration? They're scaring a little girl!

"Oh, he's just a kid! He can't tell us what to do." Ryan says, smirking at Logan.

"Hey, what's-" Camille starts to say.

"Oh boy." Lucy murmurs from her place behind the cash register.

"Get out." Logan says sternly, nodding toward the door. "I mean it! Leave."

"Fine, we'll leave." Ryan responds. "But we'll be back."

He grabs Joanna's wrist, pulling her out the door. Logan slowly relaxes once he's certain that they're gone, giving Gabby a kiss and an apologetic hug. His parents have no respect, do they? He and Gabby were just minding their own business, living their lives, and those two had to show up. It's too bad that Logan doesn't have decent parents. If he did, he could actually have some respect for them.

"Were those your parents? Dang, I can see where you got your good looks from."

That is a typical comment coming from Lucy. Okay, so his parents are attractive, but the drugs and booze haven't really done them much good. They look pretty rugged after all the years of abusing those disgusting substances. How anyone could find them appealing? Logan has absolutely no idea.

"Get back to work!" Marley instructs.

"Keep coloring, okay?" Logan tells Gabby. "I need some pretty pictures for the refrigerator."

He sits her back in the chair before returning to what he was previously doing, putting new merchandise on the shelves.

* * *

"I wish Logan could have came to the car wash with us." Kendall says as he, James, and Carlos walk to Logan's apartment. James's mom allowed him to use the key that Logan gave her, so they can wait for Logan in his apartment. After a few hours of working at the convenience store, he could probably use a stress reliever.

"I asked him, but he just had to work." Carlos mutters as James unlocks the apartment door. They enter the apartment, noticing how neatly organized everything. That's classic Logan Mitchell. He keeps everything in order.

They look at James, who is looking at the pictures on the bar. Carlos approaches him and looks over his shoulder, looking at one particular picture. It's a picture of Kelsey and Gabby. Carlos always thought that Kelsey was a beautiful woman, much too young to die. Even though she was twenty two, there were some people that felt she was too young to be a mother. She was amazing, though. Her daughter was her whole world.

He watches as James scribbles something on the notepad.

**She was beautiful**

Carlos nods, definitely agreeing with that statement. He would never admit this to Logan, but he use to have a crush on her. She was funny, sweet, nurturing, and at times, she could almost be as crazy as Carlos. Of course, she toned it down a bit when she discovered that she was pregnant. She matured a lot after that.

They turn around as the door opens and Logan enters the apartment with Gabby.

"Logie's mommy and daddy showed up!" Gabby tells them.

"Really? How did that go?" Kendall asks, picking her up.

"I threatened my mom with a restraining order, my dad stuck up for her, and they left." Logan explains. "That's just the short version, though."

Carlos notices that James looks confused. The guy always looks confused when he sees people talking, which only adds to the sympathy that most people already feel for him. Carlos wonders when Mrs. Diamond is gonna decide whether or not to get her son that surgery. If it'll fix his hearing, then it can't possibly be a bad thing.

"Jay!" Gabby exclaims, waving at James. The tallest of the four boys smiles as Gabby, gently removing her from Kendall's arms. The little girl hugs his neck, while Logan gets a Coke from the fridge. You see? This is exactly why they're always encouraging him to have a little fun! Whenever he comes home from work, he's usually tired and stressed.

"Gab, do you have any homework?"

"Nope!" Gabby shakes her head. Logan takes a sip from the bottle, while the guys watch him carefully. He looks pretty uncomfortable with all the staring. He was never that way when he was on the hockey team, though. Wow, he has changed a lot in the past six months. Carlos honestly isn't sure if he likes that.

"You guys can get a snack if you want." He tells them. "Snack" is all Carlos needs to hear to forget about his previous concerns. He's the first to arrive at the fridge, searching for the corn dogs that he has been craving all day.

* * *

**There is gonna be some drama with Logan's parents coming up;) This chapter was only the beginning:O**

**There will also be a lot more Logan/James friendship coming up:) **

**Review! :D**


	15. Boundaries

Logan doesn't know how he can possibly continue worrying about his parents. Mama Knight thinks that he should get a restraining order, but he doesn't know if that would do any good. He would love if they could get their lives straightened out, but he doesn't believe that they'll ever get better. They were messed up before Kelsey was born, so they obviously aren't capable of taking responsibility for their actions.

Laying on the couch with Gabby fast asleep in his arms is pretty comforting, but it doesn't change the fact that his parents keep barging into their lives. He knows that there must be a way to get them off his back, but he just doesn't know what. Right now, all he can do is worry about it.

"You don't know what to do, do you?" Carlos murmurs.

"No way." Logan says, playing with Gabby's hair. He wishes that she had a decent set of grandparents, but his are insane and he isn't sure about her dad's parents. All he knows is that his own parents better stay away from his little girl. He refuses to let them anywhere near her. Her well being is his number one priority.

He looks down when he feels someone tapping his shoulder.

**_What are you gonna do about your parents?_**

James looks up at him curiously. He shrugs since he can't really write anything at the moment. He'll have to wait until he doesn't have a sleepy little girl in his arms. For the past hour, he and the guys have just been in the living room, hanging out while Gabby takes an afternoon nap. Logan also promised that he would take her out for ice cream tomorrow as a reward for the A she got on her spelling test.

Riiing!

"I'll get it." Kendall says, grabbing the cordless phone. "Hello? Hey, mom! Um, no, we're just watching a movie...what? They came to the house? You have gotta be kidding me...look, I'm gonna let Logan know...I'll talk to you later...love you...bye."

"What's going on?" Logan frowns, gently rubbing Gabby's back.

"Your "parents" went to my house and were telling my mom how they don't think you're capable of caring for a kid." Kendall explains. "They said that your "so called" maturity and responsibility and all that garbage is a lie. They're threatening to file for custody of Gabby."

Logan is fuming now. How dare his parents go that far! Even if they did file for custody, they wouldn't win! They don't have a squeaky clean past, so there's no way that Gabby would be put in their custody. When they said that, they had to be either high or drunk. It doesn't even sense for them to file for custody! Gabby doesn't even know them!

"That's it." He says, clenching his jaw. "I'm gonna put an end to this."

* * *

Meanwhile, Mama Knight is in disbelief after Logan's parents stopped by. How could they ever say that Logan isn't responsible enough to care for Gabby? She doesn't think that they even know what responsibility is! Logan has done more to provide Gabby with a stable life than anyone else ever could. He's the most responsible person that Mama Knight knows.

"You know, you could always have them reported for harassment." Katie tells her.

"We might have to do that." Mama Knight agrees. "But I'll have to ask Logan about it."

She shakes her head, truly disgusted. She will definitely be calling Logan because she really does agree that Joanna and Ryan should be reported. They're only making life harder for everyone by continually barging in. Also, they don't even seem to care that their daughter is dead? When she asked them about Kelsey, all they did was shrug. Shrugging when their oldest child has been dead for six months?

She immediately grabs her cell phone, knowing exactly what she needs to do. She isn't about to let those people cause anymore stress than they already have. She dials Logan's number, still fuming after Joanna and Ryan's arrival at her home. She was so tempted to kick them out, but to be honest, Ryan Mitchell seems to have a bit of a temper.

"Hello?"

"Logan? Listen, did Kendall-"

"Yep." Logan says. His tone says it all. He's equally as peeved off as everyone else is.

"I think we need to report your parents for harassment. We cannot continue to allow them to keep intruding on your life like this."

"I know." Logan agrees. Mama Knight paces around the kitchen, motioning for Katie to go to her room. This is ridiculous! When Joanna and Ryan said that they might file for custody of Gabby, Mama Knight felt so tempted to crack up. Oh, like they could handle caring for a six year old! Logan handles Gabby better than anyone. Besides, she adores him.

"I'm sorry that they've been stressing you out." She says sympathetically. "But we're gonna deal with this. I'm gonna make sure that they don't bother you anymore."

"I wish something could be done." Logan murmurs. "Because I cannot take this anymore."

"My dad's a cop!" Carlos yells.

"Carlos, I'm on the phone!"

"Well!"

Mama Knight can't help laughing at that. Those boys are silly, but they're like sons to her. She doesn't know what she would do if they weren't so crazy. Life would be pretty boring! That's not what she's entirely focused on, though. Her top priority is getting Logan's parents out of the picture. Until they decide to get some help, she doesn't want them anywhere near Logan or Gabby.

"Wait!" Katie blurts out. "Can we go over there?"

"Why?" Mama Knight says tiredly.

"Because James is there." Katie giggles. Oh, here we go again. Sometimes Mama Knight thinks that her daughter needs more friends. She seems more interested in chasing after James than inviting friends over. It's normal to have crushes, but her sanity flies out the window when James is around.

"She wants to see James, doesn't she?" Logan says flatly.

"Um," Mama Knight hesitates. "Yep."

* * *

"We're gonna put you in your bed." Logan tells Gabby, carrying the little girl to her arm. "You'll be much comfortable under the nice, warm covers."

"What about ice cream?"

"Tomorrow, sweetie." He says, laying her down. He pulls the covers over her and gives her a kiss on her cheek. She already looks half asleep. Their days are always busy, so they're pretty tired afterwards. Today was even worse because of the drama with his parents. If he sees them again, he'll go all kinds of crazy on their drug loving butts. He's pretty reserved, but that changes when he gets seriously mad.

Knock! Knock!

He looks up to see James standing in the doorway. He waves, pointing to the sleeping girl. He gets up and follows his friend out the door, his arms crossed. The first thing they notice when they return to the living room is Carlos jumping on the couch while eating a corn dog. This guy is really seventeen years old?

"Carlos, what are you doing?" Kendall wonders aloud.

"I'm bored!"

"Here." Kendall says, grabbing some crayons and one of Gabby's coloring books. That works perfectly to get the hyper teen's attention. Carlos eagerly gets down from the couch, accepting the items from his older friend. Logan ends up watching as James grabs his pen and notepad, scribbling something down.

**_I'm gonna go back to my apartment, okay? My mom is probably getting worried._**

Logan nods in response, waving at James walks toward the door. After the experience at work, having his friends over for a few hours has been nice. He would actually like to spend more time with them, but they all have their own lives. Kendall and Carlos have hockey, James has mentioned finding an extracurricular activity, and Logan obviously has plenty of responsibilities.

"Hey, does anyone know if Jo and Greg are actually dating?" Kendall asks randomly.

"I dunno." Logan shrugs. "You'll have to ask her about that."

"You see, I was thinking about asking her out, but I don't know if-"

"Who cares what Jerk Face thinks?" Carlos announces her. "If I were you, I would just step up and ask Jo out. If Greg gets mad, he can get over it. If he tries to retaliate against you for taking his girl, as I said before, my dad's a cop."

Logan and Kendall look at each other, eyebrows raised. Um, okay...yeah...they don't even know how to respond. Then again, that's typical for Carlos. He gives "advice" and he always ends with something along the lines of "If they don't like it...well, my dad's a cop." Officer Garcia is a tough guy, but they don't need a policeman for every little situation.

"Carlos, you're insane, you know that?" Logan tells the boy.

"Yep."

"Alright then." Kendall says slowly. While he walks to the kitchen, Logan takes a seat on the floor, next to Carlos. They have it on Disney Channel, since Gabby and Carlos both love Disney Shows. Logan doesn't mind it either. Selena Gomez has a show on this channel and he thinks that Selena Gomez is one of the finest girls in Hollywood. If he could go on a date with Selena Gomez, he would be a very happy guy.

Speaking of Selena, Wizards Of Waverly place is on right now. Is it weird that he's a seventeen year old guy and he actually loves this show? A pretty girl and comedy all rolled into one! What's not to like about that? It's pretty great if you ask him.

"Carlos, is he drooling over Selena Gomez again?" Kendall asks from the kitchen.

"I am not drooling!" Logan argues.

"Maybe not, but-" He doesn't let Carlos finish that sentence. He refuses to be teased for having a small crush on a Hollywood actress. It's not anything unusual. The only thing that bothers him is having his parent showing up randomly. So he'll keep his celebrity crush, raise his niece, and get those two to leave them all alone. Sound good? It sounds great to him.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter is being posted late! The first week of school is always pretty busy:) **  
**Also, you will get a chapter of Family Affairs tomorrow:) **

**Review! :D**


	16. Mine

Lucy loves going to the hockey rink during study hall. Not to play, but the rink is usually pretty quiet during this particular time. It's a pretty good place to study and do homework. Today, however, she's here for a different reason. Well, she was here to study, then James walked in with a hockey stick and started practicing hitting a puck into the goal. He's got an LA Lakers T shirt on and a pair of glasses, only making himself look more appealing to Lucy.

She's sitting in the back of the bleachers, so he doesn't see her. He's really good at making those goals, but he probably couldn't join the hockey team because of his deafness. It's too bad, though. He's definitely talented enough to be on the team. And what would his voice sound like if he could talk? With a face like that, there's no doubt that he would have a lovely voice.

She puts her books in her back pack, watching the boy on the ice. She likes everything about him, but it's not like they communicate that much. They've only met a few times, but she has kept her eyes on him. He's tall, cute, funny, he has a beautiful smile, and he's so sweet. She would love to spend more time actually talking to him.

She gets a surprise when James's feet slip out from underneath him, causing him to fall down. She gets up and onto the ice right away, rushing to his side.

"Are you okay?" She asks worriedly, helping him sit up. James flinches, rubbing the back of his head. Lucy frowns, touching the area. His hair is so soft, but that isn't really the important thing right now. He doesn't seem to have any bump on his head, so he probably didn't hit it too hard. What a relief!

"You're fine." She says, helping him up. He starts to skate toward the goal, intent on getting the hockey puck. "Leave it."

She leads him off the ice, gently forcing him to sit down. She squeezes his shoulder before walking up the bleachers to grab her back pack. She looks down at James, who is waiting patiently. She always feels so bad for him. He misses out on so much because of his condition. She is fully aware that he would love to play hockey and become a famous singer in Hollywood. He can't do that if he can't hear or talk.

"Alright, let's go." She says, reaching for his hand. He seems to gladly accept it, following her out of the hockey rink. She watches carefully as he signs to her.

**_Wanna study together? We can go to the library!_**

**Sounds great!**

She won't say that she has a crush on him, because she doesn't, but she does feel happy about any chance she gets to spend time with him. He doesn't have to say anything to be interesting. That's one of her favorite things about him.

**Have you been enjoying your classes?**

James nods in response as they enter the library. They sit at a table and Lucy places a science book in front of them. James scrunches up his nose, furrows his eyebrows, and crosses his arms. Hmmm, someone isn't a fan of science.

"Come on," she says. "Let's get to work."

* * *

"Why did they let you guys out of school earlier?" Logan frowns as he holds Gabby's hand, leading her into the school.

"Our teacher wasn't feeling well, so she had to leave!" Gabby answers. Logan leads her over to his locker, opening it. He still has a couple more classes to go, so Gabby will have to stay somewhere else until he gets out for the day, then they'll go out and get some ice cream. Now, where can a six year old girl stay where she won't get into any trouble? The school office!

"Alright," He says, putting his books away. "You're gonna stay in the office until I'm done with class, okay?"

"Aww!"

"Gabriella..."

She knows that he's serious when he uses her full name. That's why he does it. Anytime he says her full name, she does whatever he says without arguing. Anyway, he takes her hand and leads her down to the office, greeting the school secretary. Then he hands Gabby a coloring book and some crowns, pointing to a nearby table.

"Just sit there and color." He tells her. "If you get hungry or thirsty, just let Mrs. Harris know."

"Yeah, we can always get you something from the machines." The secretary agrees.

"Be good." Logan says, kissing Gabby's forehead before leaving the office. He knows that she doesn't wanna stay there, but she'll just have to be patient. Classes are only about forty five minutes long, so she'll have to wait for almost two hours. Come to think of it, that really isn't very long at all.

"Ow!" He yells when something flies into him. He looks down at the floor to see James's notepad laying on the floor. He frowns as he picks it up, flipping it over.

**_Lucy and I studied together!_**

It turns out that James is the one that threw the notepad. Logan looks over at the boy, giving him a confused look. James has an excited smile on his face, jumping up and down. He's like a taller version of Carlos, minus the ability to ramble for hours. He's equally as hyper as their Latino friend, though.

"Dude, you couldn't have just approached me?" Logan complains. "Instead of nearly giving me a concussion?"

He's surprised when James grabs his wrist, pulling him down the hallway. He stumbles several times before they make it to their science class. Once James lets him go, he rubs his wrist. He's starting to think that he and Kendall are the only normal ones out of the four guys. Then again, who doesn't have weird moments? Life would be boring if everyone wasn't just a little bit different.

* * *

"Guess what!" Kendall says on the other line. "I asked Jo out and she said yes! It turns out that she and Greg were never together!"

"That's great, man." Logan says as he and Gabby enter the mall. "When is the date?"

"Friday night." Kendall answers. "Now, I've gotta go, but I'll talk to you later. Bye!"

Logan puts his phone back in his jeans pocket, holding onto Gabby's hand. Since she did so good on that spelling test, she totally deserves a reward. He asked her what she wanted to do and, of course, she chose ice cream. While they're at the mall, he might even let her get a new toy. That's it, though. He doesn't wanna spoil her.

"Ice cream!" Gabby squeals, pulling him toward the ice cream shop. They walk over to the counter and looks at the various ice cream flavors. Gabby always chooses plain chocolate, but Logan is gonna go for the Rocky Road flavor. He just hopes that this doesn't cause him to gain a bunch of weight. He knows that girls are usually the ones concerned about weight, but even Logan worries about it sometimes.

"James should have came with us!"

"His mom wanted him home." Logan replies as the cashier approaches them.

"May I get you something?" She asks them.

"One small chocolate and one small Rocky Road." Logan answers. He plays with Gabby's hair while they wait, running his hands through her locks of brown hair. He has still been thinking about how his parents were threatening to file for custody. He couldn't imagine life without Gabby, so he hopes that no one will ever try to take her away from him.

Riiiing!

He sighs, answering his phone. "Hello?"

"Logan?"

"Hey, Mama Knight." He says.

"We've got a problem." Mama Knight says carefully. "Your parents have started the process of filing for custody of Gabby. They've already started talking to a lawyer."

"But they can't do that!"

"They did, hon." Mama Knight tells him. He shakes his head, keeping a protective arm around Gabby. They're drug addicts! They aren't fit to even consider getting custody of his niece! It isn't even fair to her! She doesn't even know her grandparents and she'll be so scared if she has to live with them.

"How can they do this?" He says worriedly.

"I don't know, baby." Mama Knight says, sadness in her voice. Logan takes a deep breath, handing Gabby some money to pay for the ice cream. Then he walks over to a table, sitting down. He's already busy with raising Gabby, work, school, and now he's gonna have to worry about a custody battle? How can his parents be so inconsiderate?

"They can't! They cannot take her away from me!" He says desperately.

"Logan, we're gonna figure this out, okay? They have no right to take Gabby away from you and everything she has ever known. Try not to worry too much!"

How can she tell him not to worry? His estranged parents wanna take his precious girl away from him. Gabby may not be his child, but she's his baby girl and he loves her. She means the world to him and he can't stand the thought of losing her. More importantly, she wouldn't be safe with them. They both have horrible tempers and they can barely take care of themselves.

"Logie, I got the ice cream!"

"That's great, baby." He says weakly. "Mama Knight, I've gotta go, but please call me later."

"I will." Mama Knight says before hanging up. Logan doesn't even have much of an appetite anymore. He doesn't want Gabby to worry, though. So he picks up the spoon and eats a couple of scoops. He really feels like finding his parents and telling them off, but he doesn't wanna give them the satisfaction of seeing him freak out.

He just doesn't wanna lose Gabby. He loves her too much to let anyone take her away from him. If his parents really plan on going through with this custody thing, he only knows one thing. He's gonna fight for Gabby and he's gonna fight _hard._

* * *

**__****The next chapter will be _really _good:) Some Kogan friendship, Kendall and Jo's date, some Jagan friendship, and more silliness from Carlos:)**

**Review! :D**


	17. Date Night

"Are you boys doing okay in here?" Brooke asks, peeking into James's room.

"We're fine." Logan replies. Brooke gives the boys two thumbs up before returning to the kitchen, where she has been working on a couple of sandwiches for her son and his friend. She's so happy that he found himself a friend to spend time with. When they moved to Grand Marais, she was so worried because she thought that he might have a hard time, but he seems to be doing very well. And Logan is a very sweet boy.

She looks at a picture of James on the bar. It was taken shortly after he turned seventeen. She always finds it strange (but very relieving) that he never really went through a rebellious phase. He has always been the type to walk up to her and randomly give her a hug, rather than complaining and yelling that he hates her.

She wishes that he could have a normal life, but she loves him the way he is. She just feels bad because he's deaf and can't do some of the same things that other teens do. He can't sing, which she knows that he wishes he could do. He can't hear music, he can't hear voices, or anything else that involves hearing. She knows that he wishes he could do those things, but that's not how he was made.

Once she has finished the sandwiches, she puts them on two plates and carries them to the bedroom. James and Logan have been doing some homework, while Gabby is watching TV in the living room. The bad news? Logan told Brooke that his parents are filing for custody of Gabby. Well, she doesn't see how they could possibly win. From what Logan has told her, they're nothing but a couple of druggies.

"Here are your sandwiches." She says, placing a kiss on James's head.

"Thanks, Mrs. Diamond." Logan says politely.

"Enjoy them." Brooke smiles before leaving them alone. Next, she goes to the living room the check on Gabby. The sweet little girl is still watching The Fairly Oddparents, sitting completely still in front of the TV. James has always been a fan of that show, even at his age. He can't hear the dialogue, but he enjoys the characters onscreen antics.

Then she walks to her own room, taking a seat on her bed. One of her favorite things to do is look through photo albums. She has one that is full of pictures of her son. One of her favorites was taken quite recently, some time in October. He was dressed in a Superman T shirt and he had his glasses on. Most importantly, he was hugging her. She loves getting hugs from her precious boy.

"I wish things were different, baby boy." She whispers, flipping through the photo album. Things could be different if she gets him that surgery to fix his hearing, but she's so concerned about the risks. She's seriously considering speaking to the doctor about it. It would be great if he could hear and be able to have a normal life. He could enjoy music, he could sing, he could talk, he could laugh, he could play sports, and he might even be able to get started on that music career that he wants so badly. She wants him to follow his dream.

"Logan!" She calls out. "Could I speak to you?!"

A couple minutes later, James's friend enters the room.

"Yeah?"

"I need to ask you something." Brooke tells him. "Since you're planning on becoming a doctor, I'm wondering if you might know a little about surgery to restore hearing. You know, like the risks and whatnot."

"Um, I can't say that I know a lot, but I have been doing some research." Logan answers. "Worsening of hearing, infection, bleeding, ringing in the ear, dizziness, and stuff like that. But the benefit is, obviously, that it could be successful and James may be able to hear. You just have to decide if you're willing to take a risk."

Is she willing to take a risk? She wants James to be able to hear, but she doesn't wanna worsen his condition either. She better make a decision soon. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to give the surgery a chance. She just wants her son to have a normal life.

* * *

"Ugh, Logan was suppose to help me get ready for my date!" Kendall complains, adjusting his tie. He's gonna take Jo out to dinner at this really fancy italian restaurant. He cannot believe that Logan ditched him to do homework with James. He knows that James is nice, but that doesn't mean that Logan has any right to leave Kendall hanging.

"I'm here!" Logan announces downstairs.

"It's about time!" Kendall calls out. He walks down the stairs, keeping his arms crossed. When he first sees Logan, he gives his friend a stern look, tapping his foot against the wooden floor. Logan is holding Gabby's hand while giving Logan an awkward smile. Oh, like smiling is gonna change anything. He's still late!

"Sorry I'm late." He says. "James really wanted me to help him with his homework."

"Uh huh." Kendall says slowly. "Right! Now, could you please get up here and help me decide which shoes to wear?"

HONK!

"I think Jo is out there." Katie says, looking out the window. "Dang, nice car! Is that a BMW?"

"Come on." Kendall grumbles, leading Logan upstairs to his room. For a moment, he puts on a sweet smile for Gabby. "Sweetie, why don't you ask Katie to play with you?"

"Yay!" Gabby squeals before turning around and leaving. Then Kendall becomes serious again, giving Logan a look. Ever since James came into the picture, it seems like Logan is more interested in spending time with him than his other friends. When he does hang out with Kendall and Carlos, James always tags along.

"You can't be that mad at me." Logan tells him.

"Uh, yeah, I can!" Kendall retorts. "You said you would help me get ready!"

"Well, it looks like you pretty much are ready." Logan says, looking at Kendall's formal attire. Okay, he does look pretty nice, but he was still counting on Logan to help him. It's too late now, though, so he might as well not bother being mad. It's pretty hard to stay mad at Logan and Carlos.

"Whatever." He says tiredly. "Listen, what are you gonna do about your parents?"

"Gonna get a lawyer first thing tomorrow." Logan answers. "There's no way that I am allowing my parents to get custody of Gabby. She's my little girl, you know? I'm not gonna let them take her away from me."

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" Kendall says. "Just-"

"Hi, Ms. Knight! Is Kendall ready?" Jo asks. Logan immediately tosses Kendall a pair of nice black dress shoes, which he quickly slips on before saying goodbye to Logan and rushing downstairs. Jo looks amazing, like Kendall had predicted she would. Then again, when doesn't Jo look amazing?

"Ready to go, my lady?" He asks, holding out his hand.

"I am." Jo says, taking his hand.

"Have fun, you two!" Mama Knight says, opening the door for them.

"We will, mom!"

* * *

"Why was New Town High cancelled?" Kendall questions as he and Jo sit across from each other in a booth at Little Italy.

"Low ratings." Jo answers. "Honestly, I'm kind of glad. Two of my costars, Megan and Amber, fought all the time and the whole cast and crew was sick of it. There's also the constant harassment from the paparazzi. Let's not forget that the tabloids would take something I said or did and turn it into something completely different. There's a lot of lying and backstabbing in Hollywood."

"Do you think you'll ever revive your career?"

"Maybe after graduation." Jo says. "I wanna finish high school, though. I really needed some time off."

She takes a sip of her iced tea, looking at the boy across from her. She would never try to embarrass him by saying this, but she is fully aware that he use to have a crush on her. She has always thought he was pretty cute too, but she's not the type to ask a guy out. If they're interested in her, she wants the guy to ask her out. She supposes that she's the traditional type.

"Yeah, it sounds like Hollywood can be pretty crazy." Kendall agrees. Jo nods, remembering her days on the New Town High set. Megan and Amber were constantly going at it, Amber was always arguing with the director, there were a lot of scandals and controversy toward the end of the series, and the show's ratings were plummeting. It just wasn't popular anymore!

"You have no idea." She grumbles. "I was getting sick and tired of being on that set anyway. None of us got along that well. I suppose that's what kept us all in the news. There was always a new story about on and off set fighting."

"Like the one about Amber and Megan's fist fight at Chateau Marmont?"

Jo covers her face with her hands. She was actually there when it happened. Those two weren't even under the influence of anything. One of them said something that ticked the other off and soon fists were flying. It was not a pretty sight. Jo just stood a few feet away while their posse tried to break them up.

"Don't even remind me."

"Hey, let's talk about something fun." He tells her. "Like school."

"You call that fun?"

"Well, not really!" Kendall laughs. "But seriously, let's talk about it. Do you have a date to the Valentine's Day dance?"

"Greg wants me to go with him, but I haven't given him a definite answer yet." Jo responds. She hasn't given him an answer because she doesn't wanna go with him. He's a shallow jerk and she can't stand that. She would rather go with Kendall. If he's asking her to be his date, she already knows what her answer's gonna be.

"Why don't you go with me instead?" Kendall suggests.

"I would love that." She smiles.

"Great." Kendall says. "That's great."

* * *

"I really had fun tonight." Jo says as she and Kendall walk to his front door. His house was closer than Jo's, so they'll wait there for Jo's dad to pick her up.

Logan is peeking through the peep hole. He knows that he has no business eavesdropping, but he just can't resist. Well, Katie actually suggested that they keep an eye out, but Logan was happy to go along with it. He needs to get his mind off of his parents and the custody thing, so driving Kendall completely insane seems like the perfect distraction.

"What's going on?" Katie whispers.

"They're about to kiss!" Logan says, motioning for her to be quiet. Just as Kendall and Jo get closer, he pulls the door open and says...

"Hey!"

"Logan!" Kendall yells. Logan bursts out laughing, giving Katie a high five. As Kendall enters the house with Jo, he manages to slap his friend behind the head. Logan mutters a quiet "ouch," rubbing the area where he just got slapped. Maybe he should have minded his own business, but he and Katie were both kind of bored.

"You might wanna watch out." Jo playfully warns him. "He might come after you."

"Please, he won't do anything." Logan snorts. But his smile quickly fades. "Will he?"

* * *

**This was a fun chapter:) The next one is gonna be a little more serious because you'll hear more about the upcoming custody battle, but you'll also find out if James will be getting the surgery;)**

**Review! :D**


	18. The Fight Begins

"Logie, where are we going?"

"I'm gonna talk to the nice lawyer that James's mom recommended." Logan says, handing Gabby to Mama Knight. "You're gonna stay out here while I talk to him, okay?"

She nods timidly and he gives her a gentle kiss on her cheek before approaching the secretary's desk. Brooke had told him about a guy named Jeff Reynolds that had represented her friend in a custody battle. She said that he's really good, so Logan gladly agreed to meet him. As soon as James's mom told Logan about this guy, he went and made an appointment for today.

"Jeff Reynolds please." He says politely. "I have an appointment."

"He's speaking to another client right now, but take a seat in our waiting area and I'll let him know that you're here." The young secretary replies. Logan nods and returns to the chairs where Mama Knight and Gabby are sitting, taking his niece into his arms. He can't believe that his parents are trying to take her away from him.

"Did you bring something to keep you busy?" He asks her.

"I brought coloring books!" Gabby tells him. He smiles softly, kissing her forehead. If he loses this custody battle, it's gonna break his heart. He can't imagine life without Gabby. He doesn't wanna lose her. Raising her isn't always easy, but he loves every minute of it. He doesn't care that he's only seventeen. He loves Gabby and he would do anything for her.

"Logie, why are we seeing a lawyer?"

"Um..." Logan hesitates. "Baby, your grandma and grandpa want you to live with them."

"Why? I don't wanna live with them! I wanna live with you!"

"I know, honey." Logan says softly. "And I'm gonna fight for you. They want you to live with them, but that doesn't mean that it's gonna happen. This lawyer is gonna help us win this fight, so you can stay with me."

Gabby rests her head on his shoulder and it almost makes him wanna cry. He _cannot _lose his precious baby girl. She is his whole world. He doesn't care if the world thinks he's too young to raise a child. He loves taking care of Gabby. He loves waking up on Saturday mornings to her jumping on his bed and begging him to watch cartoons with her. He just loves having her around. What right do his parents have to take her away from him? If they couldn't take care of him and Kelsey, what makes them think that they can raise Gabby?

"Hey, do you think James's mom is gonna let him get that surgery?" Mama Knight asks.

"I don't know." Logan answers. "I think she should, but it's up to her and James."

"I think that they should try it." Mama Knight says. "It would be great if James could hear and actually talk to people."

Logan nods in response. He would prefer if he and Gabby could be there for James instead of having to worry about a custody battle. If James decides to get this surgery, he needs supporters. How is Logan gonna be able to be a friend and support him with a custody battle going on? It's gonna be pretty hard!

"Don't worry too much." Mama Knight says, taking his hand in hers. "You're gonna win!"

Yeah, Logan sure hopes so.

* * *

"So nice to meet you, Logan." Mr. Reynolds says, shaking Logan's hand. "Please take a seat."

Logan sits across from the lawyer at the desk, anxiously tapping his foot against the floor. He doesn't know how he's gonna get over this. He sure won't be able to get over losing his little girl to his estranged parents. He knows that she won't be safe with them, but what he thinks obviously doesn't matter right now.

"Obviously, we wanna do what's best for Gabriella." Mr. Reynolds says. "Now, from what I understand, you're not on very good terms with your parents."

"No." Logan replies, shaking his head. "They're hooked on drugs, they abused my sister and I, and we both got emancipated as soon as we turned sixteen because we couldn't take it anymore. Listen, sir, I do not feel good about Gabby living with them. Whether anyone believes it or not, they're dangerous."

"And I'm gonna do what I can to help you win this." Mr. Reynolds assures him. He hopes that the man is right. He's desperate to win because all he wants is what's best for Gabby. She needs a stable life and his parents won't be able to give her that. He may not be the perfect caretaker, but he's a lot better than Ryan and Joanna.

"One time, my mom hit me for breaking her favorite vase." Logan whispers. "I'm scared that she'll treat Gabby the same way. Don't even get me started on the things my dad might do."

"Well, a custody hearing is being scheduled for next week." Mr. Reynolds says. "You and your parents will both have to be there, the judge will ask each of you some questions, and we'll go from there."

Logan is getting nauseous. He would love to go to his parents house and tell them off, but that probably wouldn't be such a good idea. He wants to show that he is calm and competent enough to care for Gabby. He has to be extra careful because he definitely doesn't wanna make himself look bad. He's gonna prove that he's the better caretaker.

"Just one question," Mr. Reynolds says slowly. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen." Logan answers.

"I'm gonna be completely honest with you." The lawyer tells him. "Considering your age, you're really gonna have to try hard to prove that you're responsible enough. Most people your age aren't mature enough to raise a child, so this is gonna be more complicated for you. Your parents may be drug addicts, but they're also older."

Okay, that is the biggest load of BS that Logan has ever heard. He has been raising Gabby for seven months and he's been doing pretty darn good at it. He has a job, he's getting a good education, and he always does what's best for Gabby. How could he possibly lose? If he can prove that his parents are incompetent, he should be able to get full custody, right?

"I understand that this is stressful-"

"You got that right." Logan grumbles. "When is the hearing gonna be?"

"I don't know yet." Mr. Reynolds informs you. "I know it'll be next week, but I'll call you when I find out the exact date."

"Alright." Logan says, getting out of his seat. He shakes Mr. Reynold's hand, then he exits the office as fast as he can. He walks out to the waiting area where Mama Knight and Gabby are still waiting, putting on a fake smile. He knows that most people don't hate their parents, but that's kind of how Logan is feeling about his own. They're trying to ruin his life and, more importantly, Gabby's!

"How was it?" Mama Knight queries.

"Okay, I guess." Logan says, picking Gabby up. He gives her a hug, tickling her tummy. One of these days, he's gonna need some time alone so he can scream his head off, but he would freak everyone out if he did it here. He doesn't want anyone to think that he has developed Kendall's temper problem. That definitely won't help him right now.

* * *

Meanwhile, Brooke has been doing a lot of research since yesterday, when she spoke to Logan about the ear surgery. All she wants is for her son to be able to hear, speak, and sing. She's starting to think that the surgery might be worth trying. Yeah, there are side affects, but James might be able to hear if he gets the surgery. Why shouldn't they do it? James might finally be able to have a normal life after years of not being able to hear the world around him. He'll no longer have to rely on sign language and a notepad to communicate.

She looks up when he taps her shoulder. She gives him a soft smile as he sits next to her and rests his head on her shoulder. She can tell that he's reading the information on the computer screen. He told her (through sign language) that he would like to do the surgery, but she told him that she needed to do a little more research before they make any arrangements.

**_*sign language* Can I get the surgery? I know that there are some risks, but I think it's worth a try_**

Brooke nods and kisses his forehead, taking his hand in hers. She agrees with him. There are risks with every medical procedure, but that doesn't mean that anything will go wrong. Some surgeries are necessary, like this one. James's whole life could change if he does that. It really does sound like a good idea, even if it is a bit risky.

***sign language* Do you want to do this?  
**

James smiles, nodding. Brooke sighs softly, playing with his hair. It's his body and the decision ultimately has to be up to him. If he wants to get the surgery, then he should be allowed to get it. It's gonna be so wonderful to hear what her son's voice sounds like. He'll have a much better life if he can hear and talk.

***sign language* Okay, I'll start looking into it**

Even though James doesn't say a word, Brooke knows that he's happy. He plants a kiss on her cheek, jumping out of his seat. Oh, he's doing his victory dance! She can never avoid laughing when it comes to his victory dance. Even with his condition, he is one of the craziest people that she knows. He's a special boy and she couldn't be more proud of him.

***sign language* Boy, calm down!**

James laughs silently, wrapping his arms around her. Brooke gives him another kiss on his cheek, thinking eagerly about what life is gonna be like after he gets that surgery.

* * *

**Okay, I'm an English major, so I don't know a whole lot about law or medical stuff:/ If you know anything about it, let me know! :)**

**Review! :D**


	19. Game Change

James is trying to think about what hearing is gonna be like. He's resting in his hospital room right now, only a few days after he and his mom agreed that he would be getting surgery to fix his hearing. Brooke spoke to a doctor the day after and they decided to schedule his surgery for only three days later. He's scared, but he doesn't care because hearing will be worth the anxiety. He's excited to hear, talk, and sing.

He looks up when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Logan and Gabby are standing by his bedside. He was glad that they didn't schedule his operation for the same day as Logan's court hearing (no pun intended). Logan is his best friend and he wants Logan to be here. He doesn't know why, but he feels more comfortable when Logan is around.

He watches as Logan grabs his notepad and pen.

**Are you nervous?  
**

James shrugs in response before reaching out to Gabby. Logan lifts the little girl onto the bed and James happily pulls her into his arms, kissing her cheek. He notices that Camille is standing in the doorway and he gives Logan a knowing smile, silently laughing when he receives a warning look in response.

Gabby sits next to him and he takes the notepad from Logan, scribbling something on the page.

**_After the surgery, I'm gonna have to tease you about your girlfriend;)_**

**Not cool!**

James smiles, sticking his tongue out. He flinches as Logan punches his shoulder, although he's still laughing. Ah, it's gonna be amazing to hear, so he can have verbal conversations with his family and friends. Besides, it'll be funny to say all kinds of things to peeve Logan off, such as his "non relationship" with Camille.

**_ Don't be so sensitive!_**

Logan shoots him another look. He wishes he could laugh out loud right now. He'll be able to do that soon, so he doesn't have any problem being a little patient. All that matters is that he's gonna be given the opportunity to have a normal life. The first seventeen years of his life haven't been what anyone would consider normal. Heck, he freaked out at that family Christmas party because he couldn't hear what anyone was saying!

Well, that's all gonna change today.

* * *

"Well, they just took him into surgery." Brooke says, entering the waiting room.

"It's gonna be great when he can finally hear." Camille says.

Logan nods, handing another Oreo to Gabby. He, Camille, Lucy, Kendall, Carlos, Mama Knight, and Katie are all here. They all wanna be hear when he hears for the first time. Of course, James's hearing isn't the only thing on Logan's mind. He's also terribly concerned about the hearing tomorrow. He is gonna have to face his selfish, backstabbing parents in court tomorrow. He's freaking out.

"Hey, you wanna go for a walk?" Camille asks him.

"Sure." He says, standing up. He hands the bag of Oreos to Gabby before following Camille out of the waiting room. Maybe a nice walk will get his mind off the stupid custody thing. He's so infuriated at his parents for thinking that they can take his little girl away from him. What are they really thinking? They use the excuse that they don't think he's mature enough to raise a child, but he thinks there's more to it than that.

"Alright, what are you thinking? You're being way too quiet."

"I'm just thinking about the hearing tomorrow." He answers. "I can't believe that my parents are trying to get custody of a little girl that they hardly know. I'm the one that has been raising her for the past six months and I think I've been doing just fine. She's doing a lot better with me than she will if she has to live with them."

"Hey," Camille says, touching his back. "Just explain to the judge that you don't think Gabby will be safe with them. Tell him what your parents use to do to you and Kelsey, and basically anything else you can think of."

It seems like their abusive background would sway the judge's decision. Then again, he'll probably want proof that they were abusive and are hooked on drugs. If the cops raided their house, who knows what discoveries would be made? Logan hasn't visited his parents new house, but he can imagine that those people hide all kinds of things around there.

"I couldn't stand it if I lost Gabby." He admits. "I don't care how young I am! I've been doing everything I can to give her a happy, stable life...and my parents wanna ruin that. I don't understand why!"

Camille links her arm with his, shaking her head in disappointment. She expressed earlier that she found what his parents were doing to be completely sickening. Logan won't argue with that. He knows that this is their sick way of getting back at him for whatever reason. They don't care about Gabby. They just wanna get her away from Logan.

"I'll come with you to the hearing if you want." Camille tells him. "I heard Kendall and Carlos saying that they plan on going."

"I guess you can come if you want." He responds. He just hopes that he can keep his temper under control. It's hard not to throw a fit when he's stuck in a room with his parents. They could upset anyone. He just wants to explain some things to the judge, hear whatever lies his parents are gonna tell, and go home with his niece.

"I can't believe they are saying that you're not responsible enough to take care of her." Camille sounds horribly shocked. "You've been doing just fine."

"I know!" Logan agrees. "They don't know what they're talking about."

It's completely true! His parents have never been smart! If they were, they wouldn't be so messed up. They would have went to college and gotten a job, rather than Ryan getting a job as a mechanic and Joanna staying at home with the kids, both of them being half drunk (or high) most of the time. It's amazing that Kelsey and Logan weren't taken away from Child Protective Services.

"I know you'll win this." Camille assures him, hugging his bicep. "There's no way that the judge will hand Gabby over to complete strangers."

"Yeah," Logan says. "I hope not."

* * *

"They won't actually turn the cochlear implant on for three to six weeks." Brooke explains as she leads James's friends to her son's recovery room. He won't be table to hear or talk until the device is turned on, but she's willing to wait. All that matters is that he's on his way to having a normal life. She doesn't mind if it takes a little time, as long as it's happening.

"So it'll be three to six weeks before he can hear?" Carlos complains.

"Yeah, but at least it's gonna happen." Kendall says. They enter the room, where James appears to be half asleep. Today has been pretty tiring for all of them, but especially for him. He needs to get some sleep. The doctor said that he should be able to go home tomorrow, but he'll have to deal with the uncomfortable hospital bed until then.

"Hi, baby." She says sweetly, reaching out to stroke his hair. He keeps his eyes opened halfway, but he doesn't give her much of a response. He's simply too tired after the surgery. He should (hopefully) perk up in a few hours. For now, he can just rest and relax. Later on, he might be more interested in communicating with everyone.

"I think he's sleepy." She says, touching her son's cheek. She kisses his forehead, watching as he closes his eyes. The other visitors look pretty concerned, but she's quick to assure them that this is completely normal.

He flinches, pointing to his ears. Before the surgery, they were warned that a little pain isn't anything out of the ordinary. Brooke was already aware of that. She had to get surgery for appendicitis when she was little and it hurt like hell. Like with most surgeries, however, it eventually went away.

"Does he need a hug?" Carlos questions.

"He just got surgery." Lucy says flatly. Brooke's attention is entirely focused on her son, so she doesn't pay much attention to the quiet exchanges between his friends. She hates seeing him looking so exhausted. She supposes that his hearing is worth it, though. In just a few weeks, that device in his ear will be turned on and he'll be almost as normal as everyone else his age. Admittedly, most of his peers probably don't need a device to hear, but it doesn't really matter.

***sign language* Are you feeling okay? **

James nods in response, glancing over at his friends. Lifting one hand, he waves at them, putting a smile on the face of everyone in the room. Even after getting surgery, he still manages to show some love to those around him. It's just like James to be that way even when he doesn't feel good.

***sign language* Honey, you're gonna be out of here tomorrow**

James seems pleased to hear that. He has never been a fan of hospitals. He doesn't even like the thought of getting a blood test because he's afraid of needles. He seems pretty calm today, though. It's kind of interesting to see him in a hospital bed, not throwing a huge fit. In fact, this is the calmest she has ever seen him when at a hospital.

"Hey, tell him that I have to be at the hearing tomorrow, so I won't be able to visit him until later in the day." Logan tells her. Brooke nods and signs the message to James, who seems satisfied with that. They're all aware that he's very upset with Logan's parents, though. Who wouldn't be?

***sign language* Get some sleep, baby. I'll be here when you wake up.**

She gives him a gentle kiss on his cheek, slowly pulling away as he begins to drift off to sleep.

* * *

**The next two chapters are gonna be exciting;) In the next chapter, the custody hearing happens;) In the chapter after that, something big happens with James;D**

**Anyway, I have other exciting news! I just got my first volunteer job at Adopt-A-Pet! It's a couple of hours after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays;)**

**Review! :D**


	20. Fight For You

"Your honor, I am telling you that Logan is not old enough or responsible enough to care for that child!" Joanna insists.

"My wife's right! He's seventeen, for goodness sake!" Ryan agrees.

"Well, believe or not, there are some pretty mature teen parents out there." Logan replies coolly. Judge Evans is acting professional, but it's not hard to see that even he's getting a little irritated with Joanna and Ryan. Who wouldn't get irritated with them? In the past ten minutes, they've mentioned _twice _that Logan isn't mature enough to care for Gabby. At one point, they even interrupted Judge Evans to say so. This guy doesn't appreciate being interrupted.

"Logan, from what I understand, you're an emancipated minor." Judge Evans says. "How old were you when you first moved out of your parents home?"

"I was sixteen." Logan answers. "I've been out on my own for over a year now."

Also, look at how well he has done in the (almost) two years that he has been living on his own! He has a job, he gets good grades in school, and he raises Gabby. He already informed the judge about his niece's good grades and the man seemed quite impressed. Logan must be doing something right if Gabby is doing so well in school.

"I'm amazed that you're not on the street!" Joanna snaps.

"SHUT UP, YOU CRAZY OLD BAT!" Carlos yells from the back row.

"Sir, your name?" Judge Evans questions.

"Carlos Garcia." Carlos answers proudly, crossing his arms.

"Stay quiet or I'll have to ask you to leave."

Logan smacks his hand against his face, glancing at Mr. Reynolds from the corners of his eyes. He got the pleasure of introducing his friends to his lawyer before the hearing began and Mr. Reynolds thinks that they are nice kids, but he feels that Carlos is a bit "unusual." That is true in a way. Carlos is an awesome guy, but he can be pretty weird.

"There is a compromise." Judge Evans informs them. "Joanna, Ryan, you could always get visitation rights. Logan could have full custody, but you two would be allowed to visit Gabriella on a regular basis."

Logan doesn't like the sound of that. Why is Judge Evans even suggesting such a thing? Logan already informed him that Joanna and Ryan are messed up on drugs and that they cannot be trusted anywhere near a child. Did he not hear a word that Logan said? Gosh, this is getting real annoying.

"I don't trust them to be anywhere near her!" He says, shooting a dirty look at his parents.

"At your age, you don't know as much as you may think!" Ryan tells him. Logan desperately wants to go over there and punch the guy, but doing that in court would be a terrible idea. He definitely wouldn't get to keep custody of Gabby. He's gonna have to be mature about this, even though he really wants to throw a huge tantrum.

They look up when Judge Evans gently taps a sounding block with his gavel.

"Logan, I am going to ask that you allow your parents to visit with Gabriella on Saturday. Whether you think so or not, she does deserve to get to know her grandparents."

Joanna and Ryan send a satisfied look in his direction. Logan clenches his jaw, listening as Kendall, Carlos, and Camille quietly argue in the back. He cannot believe that Judge Evans wants him to send Gabby off on a outing with her _estranged _grandparents. If he has never been able to trust them before, why should he trust them now?

* * *

"You're home!" Brooke says cheerfully, carefully helping James over to the couch. She hands him the remote and kisses his cheek before heading to the kitchen to make him a snack. She knows that he's probably hungry and these past couple of days have been pretty tiring, so he needs something to eat. She'll make him some pizza bagels!

Three weeks from now, the cochlear implant will be turned on and James will begin his new life as a hearing person. The doctor said that his hearing may not be perfect, but he _will _be able to ear. With some help, he may also learn to speak. Honestly, Brooke is feeling just a tad impatient. She's just so excited for James to be able to hear. Sure, he may still have trouble hearing some things, but he'll at least be able to hear.

Knock! Knock!

She walks to the door and looks through the peep hole before eagerly opening the door for Logan and Gabby. The poor guy looks pretty stressed after that silly custody hearing. Brooke thinks that the whole thing is ridiculous. She hasn't known Logan for very long, but he seems perfectly responsible. He's completely mature enough to care for Gabby!

"Did you bring James home yet?" He questions.

"He's in the living room." Brooke replies. While Logan and Gabby walk to the living room, she returns to the kitchen. She has never been through a custody battle before, but she feels terrible for Logan. She can see that he adores his niece and it probably hurts knowing that she could be taken away from him.

"How did the hearing go?" She asks.

"The judge ordered me to allow my parents to take Gabby out on Saturday." Logan says, making his frustration obvious. Brooke doesn't mean to disrespect people of authority, but that judge sounds, well, stupid. Sending a six year old girl on an unsupervised outing with her estranged grandparents? It's ridiculous! From what Brooke has heard, Joanna and Ryan don't sound trustworthy at all.

"JAMES! ARE YOU OUT OF THE HOSPITAL YET?!"

"Carlos, his device hasn't been turned on yet! He won't be able to hear until it's turned on in three weeks." Logan explains as Kendall and Carlos enter the apartment. Those two show up at the most random times, not that Brooke minds. She has come to really like her son's new friends. Those boys seem to really care about each other, as true friends should.

"So Jay can't hear yet?" Gabby asks.

"Not yet, baby." Logan says gently. "But he will."

Brooke puts the pizza bagels in the oven. Then she walks to the living room to check on Gabby and the boys. James writes something on his notepad (Thank God that he won't have to use that thing in three weeks) before handing it to Logan. It's gonna be so wonderful when he can finally use his voice and not have to rely on sign language or a notepad to communicate.

"Oh, Carlitos here decided to have a little outburst in the courtroom." Kendall announces.

"Carlos, what did you do?" Brooke asks, crossing her arms.

"He called Logan's mom a crazy old bat." Kendall snorts. Brooke may be the adult, but she can't help laughing at that. She can see Carlos doing something like that. He's one of those people that doesn't really think before he acts.

"Hey, she is one." Logan agrees, pulling Gabby onto his lap. He wraps his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. The little girl reaches for James and Logan allows her to crawl into the other boy's arms. She seems to completely adore James. Brooke isn't surprised at all. James is great with kids.

"Hey, Mrs. Diamond?"

"Yes, Carlos?"

"Has James ever had a girlfriend?"

"Honey, he's had too many to count." Brooke says, sending a smirk in James's direction. "Julia, Chloe, Anna, Mindy, Kasey, Hannah, Amanda, Hadley, Jordan, and Samantha."

"Dang!" Kendall says, looking at James. "That's ten girlfriends!"

"I personally liked Julia a lot." Brooke tells them. "Hannah is a close second."

Her true opinion about most of James's ex girlfriends? She wasn't that crazy about them. Kasey dumped him after her friends made fun of her for dating a deaf boy. She was a shallow, judgmental little skunkbag. Who in their right mind would break up with someone for having a disability? James may be deaf, but any girl would be lucky to date him.

"Hey, Logan dated a girl named Julia once." Kendall says thoughtfully. "Logan, what was her last name?"

"Julia Friedman." Logan replies. "Why?"

"Was she from Duluth?" Brooke wonders.

"Yeah..."

"Oh..."

"Please tell me that James and I didn't date the same girl."

"Honey, I think you boys did."

Wow, this is really awkward. James won't likely be upset about this, but it'll sure be weird for him, knowing that he and his best friend have dated that exact same girl before. Anyway, when did the conversation turn from Logan's custody battle to James's ex girlfriends?

"And now I'm really embarrassed." Logan says, covering his face. Brooke reaches out to stroke James's hair, kissing the top of his head before returning to the kitchen. Imagine if he had heard that conversation. It would have been even more awkward than it already is.

* * *

**Are you excited that you're finally gonna hear?**

James nods happily, scribbling something on the notepad before handing it to Logan.

**_I sure am! Now, how did your court hearing go?_**

**It was a pain in the butt. Gabby is going out with them on Saturday just because the judge suggested it. I wanted to tell him off so badly, but I don't wanna ruin my chances of keeping custody. I've gotta be mature, you know?**

James nods in agreement, frowning. He doesn't even know Logan's parents, but he already hates them. How dare they think that they can take Gabby away from all that she knows! She has a loving uncle that takes excellent care of her and Logan's friends adore her too. James knows that he loves her.

**_That judge sounds really annoying._**

Logan gives James a high five before joining Kendall, Carlos, and Gabby on the living room floor. They're eating pizza bagels while watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They're talking about something, but James can't hear what they're saying. In three weeks, it won't be like this anymore. He won't have to feel confused every time he sees someone's mouth moving. He can't wait until the big day comes.

Gabby motions for him to join the group. Although he is a bit reluctant, he does.

* * *

**The next chapter is all about James;) Of course, there will also be some James/Logan friendship:D**

**Review! :D**


	21. Listen To Me

***sign language* Are you ready to start hearing?**

James nods at the audiologist, looking at the strange machine. Three weeks after the surgery, his cochlear implant is being turned on. The audiologist, Doctor Morgan, said that his newfound hearing may sound a little weird at first. As he begins learning how to hear with the new implant, his hearing will slowly begin improving.

He glances at his mom, who is holding his hand. Is it weird that he's a little nervous? He's excited that he's gonna be able to hear, but it also feels really...strange. He has been deaf since birth and now he's gonna be able to hear like a normal person. He just doesn't know what hearing is like. He's gonna find out soon enough. As anxious as he is, he's more happy than anything else.

***sign language* I am going to slowly increase the volume and I want you to let me know when you hear something, okay? There's a chance that you may hear a beeping noise, but don't be alarmed. It doesn't matter what you hear, but that you hear something.**

James nods again, watching Doctor Morgan. Brooke kisses his cheek and gives his hand a squeeze. He watches as the audiologist begins turning up the volume on the implant, waiting patiently. Sure enough, he does _hear _a slight beeping noise. He looks at his mom and Doctor Morgan, nodding eagerly. His mom looks so happy that she could cry.

**_*sign language* Now I will ask you to compare the volumes of these next two sounds so I can adjust the volume for different pitches. After that, we'll see if you can actually hear us speaking._**

James does as he is told. Doctor Morgan shows him a higher pitched noise and a lower pitched noise. He indicates the volume he prefers (the volume should be the same for every pitch) and Doctor Morgan finishes setting it up. He takes a deep breath, looking at his mom. She cries tears of joy and, strangely enough, he can sort of hear her.

"Can you hear me, baby?" She asks hopefully, pushing his bangs away from his forehead. He nods, a huge smile on his face. Brooke cries, kissing his cheek. He throws his arms around her, actually able to listen to her talk to him. He doesn't feel like he can talk yet, but at least he's hearing something for the first time in his life.

"How does it sound, buddy?" Doctor Morgan asks him.

**_*sign language* Kind of weird, but I can hear! _**

"What does he mean by weird? And why can't he talk?" Brooke frowns. James heard her! He actually heard what she just said! It sounded a little strange and not like normal hearing, but he heard and understood every word.

"Sound may seem a bit fuzzy and distorted to him." Doctor Morgan explains. "As for his speech, that's gonna be a learned skill. He might even require some speech therapy. I think he'll do it, though. He seems like a smart kid."

"I know he will." Brooke smiles, kissing James's temple. He gets out of his seat and (with sign language) asks if he could have permission to go for a walk. Now that he can (sort of) hear, he wants to try it out. He wants to hear what the world around him really sounds like. He wants to walk by the nurses desk and hear the conversations between nurses and patients, people talking in the cafeteria, what TV sounds like, what the birds outside sound like, and more! He has spent his whole life not knowing what the world sounds like, but now he can!

"Go on." Brooke says sweetly. He waves at them and eagerly exits the room. He takes another deep breath, walking past the nurses station. This may sound strange, but the nurse talking to a patient sounds absolutely beautiful to him. Then again, he's never heard anything before. If he thought that sounded good, he can only imagine what birds and music sound like.

He suddenly whips out his cell phone, sending a text to Kendall, Carlos, Logan, Jo, Lucy, and Camille. He's gotta let his friends know that the implant worked and that he's experiencing the happiest day of his young life!

**I CAN HEAR! WOO HOO!**

Yes, that seems a little hyper, but whatever. He's having a very good day and all he wants to do is celebrate. His life is gonna be different now. It's gonna be so much better than it has ever been before. The way his life has changed today...he couldn't possibly be any happier.

* * *

"So you definitely can hear me?" Brooke asks as she and James enter the apartment building.

James nods excitedly. He knows that it's probably weird knowing that she doesn't have to use sign language to speak to him anymore, but she'll get use to it soon enough. It's gonna take a little getting use to. He doesn't care, though! He's so happy because he can actually hear words, instead of having to rely on people's hand motions.

**_*sign language* Can I go to Logan's apartment? Gabby is out with her grandparents and Logan is probably freaking out._**

"Okay, honey." Brooke says, kissing his cheek. Once they are on the second floor, he eagerly goes to Logan's apartment. He's having a great day, but he's sure that Logan's busy stressing out. He would be upset too. Who wants to send their child out with two strangers that she hardly knows? Logan's grandparents have never once spent some time with Gabby before now.

Knock! Knock!

"It's open!"

He pushes the door open, entering the apartment. Logan is sitting at the dining table, eating what appears to be a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Come to think of it, James is pretty hungry himself. He wonders if Logan would let him fix a sandwich. He's been too busy with the audiologist to even think about food.

"Hey, I got your text!" Logan exclaims. "You can really hear what I'm saying?"

James smiles proudly, sitting across from Logan. But the smile fades quickly. Logan has barely eaten the sandwich in front of him. He doesn't look too happy either. If James could, he would be happy to tell Gabby's grandparents off. What right do they have to take her away from Logan? He has been a better parental figure to her than they could ever be.

Since he hasn't mastered speaking yet, he has to speak to Logan with the use of his notepad.

**_Are you okay?_**

"Not even close." Logan answers. "The judge wants all four of us to go out together next weekend. He seems to think that we can possibly arrange to have joint custody. If I have anything to say about it, that's not gonna happen."

James shakes his head, admiring a picture of Logan and Gabby on the table. It must have been taking in the Knight's back yard. Gabby is wearing a pair of jeans and a pink T shirt, while Logan is dressed in denim jeans and a long sleeve denim shirt. He's kneeling behind her, his arms hugging her from behind. How could he possibly lose the custody battle? Sure, he looks a little too young to raise a child, but he takes really good care of her.

**I wish I could do something**

"I wish this could all be over." Logan replies. "Gabby needs a responsible parent in her life, but the judge is, well, judging this whole thing based on my age. What I need to do is prove that my parents aren't fit to raise her."

**Who cares how old you are? You've been raising her for more than seven months and everything has been going really well! No offense, but your parents are stupid.**

"I won't argue with you on that." Logan tells him. "They are stupid. I don't think the judge knows it, though. That's why I'm trying to figure out a way to prove them unfit. I don't know how to do it, but I'm gonna figure something out."

**Well, I've got a couple of ideas. One, you could "visit" them at home and secretly search for their stash of drugs and know, if they have a stash, which I have a feeling they probably do. Two, if they have a tendency to frequently visit bars, film them getting really drunk. Then show the judge all the evidence you found!  
**

"That's not such a bad idea." Logan says, reading James's message. James smiles, crossing his arms. He doesn't mean to sound narcissistic or anything, but he is pretty smart. Maybe not as smart as Logan, but he's a genius when it comes to making plans. He'll do whatever he can to make sure that Gabby gets to keep living with her uncle.

"Hey, don't let your head get too big." Logan warns. "You have a C in science."

James rolls his eyes, glancing at Logan. Yeah, he's fully aware of that. He's gonna fix that problem, but there's just one little detail. Once he learns how to talk and sing, he's gonna try to get a recording contract like he always wanted. He'll become famous and he won't have to worry about grades anymore. You know, just a thought.

"You're not listening to a word I'm saying, are you?"

James shrugs, pretending to look as bored as possible.

"Of course."

* * *

"Hey, who are you texting?" Logan questions as they walk back to James's apartment. James shows him Lucy's name on his phone, giving Logan a look when the boy gives him a knowing look. Must he tease James about it? Lucy is incredibly smart and pretty, but that doesn't mean that he's interested in being romantically involved with her. Can't a guy and girl be friends without people assuming that they're dating?

"Aww, Jay has a girlf...ouch! What was that for?" Logan groans, rubbing his shoulder. James shrugs as they approach the apartment. With his head held high, he pushes the door open, letting Logan walk ahead of him. Okay, maybe he does have a tiny crush on Lucy, but that doesn't necessarily mean that he's gonna have a nervous breakdown if they don't end up dating.

"Hey, guys!" Brooke says cheerfully, giving James another kiss on his cheek. "Logan, did you try talking to James?"

"Yeah, it's great that he can actually hear me." Logan says, squeezing James's shoulder. If they think that him hearing is cool, just wait until he can hear _and _speak. When he learns how to actually talk, that's gonna be awesome. He would like to know what his own voice sounds like, both talking and singing.

"Jay, I called your father and told him! He wants to video chat with you soon."

**_*sign language* Sounds great!_**

"And I have some great news." His mom tells him. "The local theatre is putting on a concert where local residents will be performing. I was thinking that we could go! You know, to celebrate your newfound ability to hear. It'll be much more fun now that you'll actually be able to hear the music."

"Yeah, I heard about that." Logan says. "I was thinking about taking Gabby."

**_*sign language* Maybe we could all go together!_**

"That would be great." Brooke says, pulling her son into another hug. Life is definitely going well for James, but it'll be even better once he can be certain that Logan will be keeping Gabby.

* * *

**Okay, I seriously _love _this chapter:) It's so happy and adorable!**

**Please review:)**


	22. Fighting Solves Nothing

"I think Lucy was planning on performing tonight." Logan says as he, Gabby, James, Camille, and Brooke enter the Grand Marais theatre. James seems so excited to be here, although he looks confused at times because he's still getting use to hearing. Yeah, he can hear, but he can't quite hear like everyone else yet. It's gonna be a while before he gains a normal sense of hearing.

"If she sings the dubstep version of Linkin Park's 'Numb,' I might have to scream." Camille says as they take their seats. For whatever reason, she has a serious problem with people remaking songs. The Jennifers did a Michael Jackson medley for their semester project (and performed it at one of their concerts) and Camille says that she actually wanted to puke.

**_*sign language* What is she talking about?  
_**

"Honey, is your cochlear implant working okay?" Brooke frowns. James nods before signing something else.

**_*sign language* Yeah, but sometimes it sounds a little...fuzzy. I'm still getting use to it._**

Logan thought that Gabby would wanna sit in her own seat, but she is quick to crawl onto his lap. Ever since the custody battle started, she has become rather clingy. He doesn't mind the constant hugs and kisses, but it's like she's afraid to be away from him. He got a call from her teacher this morning, saying that she randomly started crying in class.

**_*sign language* Tell her that I need some love too_**

"Baby, I think James wants you to sit with him." Logan says, kissing his niece's cheek. Gabby nods, crawling onto James's lap. He wraps his arms around her and she snuggles into his chest, seemingly happy to let him hold her. Lately, Logan and James are the only two people she seems to feel comfortable with.

"What do you mean? Why can't they perform? Dude, The Jennifers need to be here! So you're saying that the blonde one ran into a wall during rehearsal and knocked herself unconscious? GAHHHHH!" The show's director rants, storming toward the stage. Logan doesn't know if he wants to listen to a middle aged man throw a fit, so he's gonna go to the rehearsal room and watch some of the performers. Jo is suppose to perform a song tonight.

This particular room is right down the hall. Kendall is already there, watching the girl that may or may not be his girlfriend. Seriously, he won't say anything. In fact, he hasn't really been spending as much time with his friends lately. He has probably been hanging out with Jo. Logan, James, and Carlos don't mind, but they do wonder if he's been ditching them just to hang out with a girl.

"What song is she doing?" Logan wonders.

"She's doing The Trouble With Girls. You know, the Scotty McCreery song." Kendall answers. "Except she's changing it from The Trouble With _Girls _to _boys._"

"And what about Lucy?"

"An original song." Kendall replies. "I think it's called Bad Boyz."

Logan looks around the large room, frowning when he sees Stephanie King standing alone in the corner. If she didn't hang out with Wayne Wayne, she could probably be a really great person. Behind the bad girl persona, Logan sees a scared young woman that just wants a true friend. No one bothers messing with her, though. At one point, some people had tried to befriend her, but she just pushed them all away.

"ALRIGHT, ANYONE THAT ISN'T A PERFORMER NEEDS TO GET OUT!" The assistant director announces. She must be one edge about the Jennifers thing too. He heard someone outside talking about a replacement, though. Someone else was saying that they're gonna have Jo perform two songs. Logan doesn't really know what's going on.

"Why do I have to leave?" Carlos complains.

"Because you're not in the show!" The girl says, pushing him out the door. Then she faces Kendall and Carlos. "Both of you OUT!"

"Someone's got her panties in a wad." Kendall murmurs as they leave the rehearsal room. Logan can't help but laugh at the comment, even though he's pretty sure that the tense assistant director may have heard them. Whatever, though. It's her fault that she can't seem to lighten up.

* * *

"Logie, when is it gonna start?" Gabby whines.

"It's starting right now, baby." Logan whispers as the curtains open. The director, obviously still stressed out, steps onto the stage with a forced smile on his face. Logan almost feels bad for the poor man. He had probably counted on the Jennifers being here, but one of those three girls had to choose today to be a complete klutz and injure herself.

"Welcome, ladies, gentlemen, and...the rest of you." He says awkwardly. "We were gonna have the Jennifers open the show, but they couldn't make it. So we arranged for someone else to take her place. This young lady is a student at Cook County High School and she will open tonight's show with an original song! So give it up for Stephanie King!"

"The hot weird girl is the opening act?" Someone murmurs. Logan feels tempted to stand up for Stephanie, but he doesn't do it. He just keeps his eyes on the stage, where the band is waiting for Stephanie to arrive onstage. He doesn't understand why people treat her like she's a freak. Yeah, she may be a little quirky and she hangs out with the wrong crowd, but that's no reason to bully her.

"Loser." A girlish voice sings behind him.

"Alright, that's it." He murmurs before turning around to face the blonde haired girl. "Do us all a favor and shut your stupid, annoying mouth! Get it through your head that no one likes you! At least not with a personality like that! In fact, you sicken me!"

The girl's jaw drops in horror and, strangely, Logan feels really proud of himself. He's never been able to stand up to someone like that before. He just got this sudden courage to tell her off. He can't stand bullies. No one deserves to be laughed at or referred to as a "freak" or "loser." Quite frankly, he sees nothing freakish about her. And she's certainly not a loser!

"Better listen to him, girly." Camille adds. "If you keep up that attitude, you're eventually gonna piss off the wrong person."

"Like who?" Blondie snaps.

"Like me!" Camille retorts, standing up. Kendall and Logan quickly reach out to her, forcing her to sit down. There's no need to start an altercation. Maybe Camille needs to take some anger management classes.

"Both of you shut up!" Carlos says, pointing to the stage. Camille still grumbles under her breath, but they all try to keep their attention on the performance. Stephanie has finally started singing and, needless to say, the audience looks pretty impressed. Stephanie's stage presence is similar to Demi Lovato's. She's a fabulous mixture of pop and rock when she's onstage.

"Bet you can't do that." Camille tells the girls behind them. Logan gently nudges her, giving her a warning look. When she gets mad, she has a hard time letting it go. It's no wonder that her parents have encouraged her to start visiting the school counselor more often. She gets way too emotional. Of course, if anyone thinks she's crazy, they should spend a few hours with Lucy. She probably would have ripped out that girl's hair extensions by now.

"At least I don't look like I got hit by a truck!"

"THAT TEARS IT!" Camille shrieks before jumping over the chair. The people surrounding the two girls scream in shock as the fight breaks out. Logan desperately wants to jump in there and put a stop to this, but he's too embarrassed. He buries his face in James's shoulder, groaning. He doesn't know what Gabby is finding so funny. Of course, he finally got a laugh out of her, but still.

He needs an ibuprofen.

* * *

"Way to go, you got us kicked out!" Logan rants as they all exit the theatre.

"She was being a jerk, so I taught her a lesson! I'm not seeing the wrong here." Camille says, raising her hands in defense. They all look at James, who is ranting frantically in sign language. If he knew how to speak, he would probably be screaming at them. It's kind of funny watching his hand motions, his flailing arms, and how peeved off he looks.

"Honey, don't use language like that!" Brooke scolds. James sticks his nose up in the hair, huffing as he walks ahead to the parking lot. Kendall, Carlos, and Logan all look at Camille, crossing their arms and tapping their feet against the concrete. They want her to know that she messed up big time. You know what's so bad about it? This was James's first concert as a (sort of) hearing person...and they got kicked out because Camille decided to start a fight.

"I'm gonna calm him down." Brooke says before following her son.

"What's that?" Gabby asks, touching what appears to be blonde hair wrapped around Camille's finger.

"Hair." Camille says flatly. Logan quickly pulls Gabby away, wrapping his arms around her. That's another problem! Camille just threw down in front of a six year old girl. What kind of example was she setting by doing that? It's bad getting into any fight at all, but in front of a little kid?

"You ripped out her hair?!" He whispers harshly. "Are you insane?"

"Look, she provoked me." Camille hesitates before speaking again. "You know, this is actually _your _fault. You're the one that got all mad because that skank was talking trash about Stephanie. Then you got me involved and that's when the fight got started!"

"How can you blame this on me?!"

"Because you started it!"

"I did not!"

"Uh huh!"

"Uh uh!"

"Uh huh!"

"HUSH!" Kendall finally yells. "You're both being incredibly immature! If you would be so kind and shut up for a while, I would love that. Quite honestly, I would like to go home, take a warm bath, and stuff my face with ice cream because I didn't get to see my girlfriend perform tonight! All thanks to you two!"

He storms off to his car and Carlos seems a bit unsure of what to do, but he finally turns around and follows Kendall. That leaves Camille, Logan, and Gabby alone. Camille gives him a satisfied look before walking away. Logan groans tiredly, picking Gabby up and kissing her cheek before carrying her to his own car.

* * *

**Haha, this chapter was fun to write:P I love that last scene because everyone is so mad about getting kicked out of the show:P**

**Review! :D**


	23. Evidence

"Thanks for coming with us." Logan says as he parks in front of his parents house. He invited his friends to join him because he really doesn't want him and Gabby to be alone with his parents. He doesn't trust them at all. For all he knows, they could end up killing him or Gabby with a broken beer bottle. Yes, they're _that _dangerous.

"So are you really gonna find evidence against them?" Carlos asks eagerly.

"I'm gonna try." Logan says, holding Gabby in his arms. He cringes as he approaches his former home, memories flooding back. He doesn't know if he can think of one positive memory made in this home. It was just full of fights, abuse, and tears. He can remember one incident where his dad came home at three in the morning and beat Kelsey. Ryan and Joanna wouldn't even take her to the hospital and Logan couldn't because he didn't have a drivers license.

"What is it, buddy?" Carlos asks James. He hands the boy his notepad and a pen. James writes something down and hands it to Logan. He tries to say words sometimes, but he hasn't been able to get anything out yet. He's getting there, though. They're expecting to hear his first spoken words soon.

**_You use to live here?  
_**

"Yep." Logan says, putting Gabby down before ringing the doorbell. The TV is blaring in the living room, Ryan is yelling at his wife, and she's yelling back at him. Gabby whimpers and hides behind Logan's leg. He reaches down to touch her hair, giving her sympathetic look. He hates his parents for making Gabby so timid and anxious.

"ALRIGHT, I'M COMING!" Joanna shrieks. She yanks the front door open, not looking the least bit interested in seeing her son. "Oh, it's you."

"The judge told us to have frequent visits, remember?" Logan says, pushing her out of the way. If she were a better mom, he wouldn't treat her like that, but she pushed him around all the time when he was little. His whole life consisted of being abused and threatened by his own parents. He has a lot of issues because of them. If someone lifts their hand, he'll flinch because he thinks that they're gonna hit him.

"Sweetie, I have a little present for you." Joanna puts on a smile for Gabby, taking the little girl's hand. Logan clinches his fists. It's times like this where he really wishes hitting a woman weren't such a big deal. His mom is one of a few people that he would really like to beat his fists into. She's just as bad as her husband.

"So, Mr. Mitchell, how is your day going?" Carlos asks with false politeness.

"Whatever." Ryan answers flatly.

"Those shoes are awesome! Where did you get them?" Kendall asks.

"Wal Mart." Ryan grumbles. He looks at James, who smiles and waves awkwardly. The dislike in his eyes is pretty obvious, though. When he doesn't like someone, it's hard for him to hide it. Logan pats his shoulder before sneaking out of the living room. He has his camera phone with him, so he can snap pics of the evidence.

Gosh, don't they ever clean up their room? It's a mess! Logan keeps his apartment neater than this.

He shuts the door and locks it, walking over to the closet. Without making an obvious mess, he searches the closet. He knows that they keep a huge stash of drugs somewhere around here. He just needs find the stash and snap a picture of it for the judge. He's also gonna try to get some pics of the alcohol. But he should also take a picture of the room. If they got custody of Gabby, the living conditions wouldn't be very good.

Snap!

He takes a picture of the horribly messy bedroom, then he walks over to the dresser. This would be a perfect place to hide a stash of drugs. Last time he remembers, this _was _where they kept their drugs.

Which drawer was it? It has to be here, but he needs to know which...oh, he remembers! The bottom left drawer! He opens that drawer and lifts some clothes out of it, smirking when he sees a bag of white powder. These two are just pathetic. With a habit like this, they really think they deserve custody of Gabby?

Snap!

Now he needs to get to the wine cellar and snap a pic of the booze?

He unlocks the door and sneaks down the hallway, opening a door leading to the wine cellar. When he enters the room, he finds a huge variety of alcoholic beverages. Wine, patron, champagne, beer, and his mom's favorite, vodka. They have gotta be the biggest alcoholics in town.

Snap!

And his investigation is all done. He turns around to leave the cellar, but ends up bumping into his dad.

"What are you doing?" Ryan Mitchell asks.

"N-nothing." Logan says, trying to walk past him. Ryan roughly grabs his wrist, causing him to flinch. He is roughly shoved against the wall.

"Give me your phone."

"No!"

"Give me your damn phone!" Ryan yells. Logan yelps in pain as his own father twists his arm. It's a good thing that his phone is password protected. He isn't about to let Ryan stop him from getting custody of his niece. She's _his _baby girl, not theirs. He's done more for her than his parents ever did for him.

"Let me go!"

"NOT UNTIL YOU GIVE ME YOUR-" Ryan suddenly lets Logan go. Logan looks up at James shoves Ryan away from him, giving a hard kick to the groin. What the chiz? When did James turn into such a badass? He's pounding Logan's dad into a pulp, even though the guy is a bit bigger than him.

Logan runs from the room with James following close behind. The four teens and Gabby (along with her new teddy bear) run out the door and to Logan's car, getting in as soon as they can. Oh, Logan's arm hurts so bad. It doesn't feel broken, but it's definitely sprained. He doesn't know if he's gonna be able to drive with one good arm.

"James, what the heck was that?!" He exclaims. James looks proud of what he did back there. He beat up a forty three year old man! For someone that has been deaf since birth, he doesn't have any more fear than anyone else.

"I...didn't..."

What the...James just spoke! It was only two words, but still! He actually tried to speak!

"What is it, Jay?" Logan asks, holding his right arm to his chest. James's smile has faded and he's avoiding making eye contact with anyone in the car. He crosses his arms, shaking his head. He couldn't try to say anymore?

"I guess that's all he could say." Kendall says, pulling away the curb. Logan wonders why James's demeanor changed after he tried to talk. Frustrated because he couldn't say anything else? Is that it?

"We should get these pics to the judge." Carlos says, unlocking Logan's phone. Yes, his friends know his cell phone password. They're the _only _ones that know.

"Actually, I think we need to get Logan's arm checked out first." Kendall answers. Logan nods, still holding the injured limb. He's not showing it, but what just happened really disturbed him. When his dad was trying to beat him, he remembered several other instances just like this, where he would do the most minor thing and he would get a beating.

"Does it hurt?" Carlos queries.

Logan groans in response. "Ya think?!"

* * *

"It's just sprained." Logan says as he enters the waiting room with his arm in a sling. It's just a minor sprain that will likely heal in three weeks. Just to be safe, he needs to wear a sling. Gosh, he hates his dad. He wishes that he didn't, but he does. Ryan Mitchell seems to enjoy putting his own kids through pain. He and Joanna don't even seem to care that their daughter is dead. Is Logan the only one in the family that cares about anything?

"Logie, should I kiss it?" Gabby asks, reaching for his arm.

"I'm fine, baby girl." Logan says, kissing the top of her head. "Let's just get to the courthouse and put an end to this case."

As they exit the hospital, he finds himself looking over at James. For whatever reason, he has been acting quite distant. Logan wants to ask him why, but he probably should be left alone right now. He doesn't seem to be in the mood to discuss anything. Would he be okay with Logan thanking him for being so protective earlier?

"I wanna stay with you, Logie." Gabby says, hugging his leg.

"I know, honey." Logan says as he opens the car door for her. "And I'm gonna make sure that you do."

* * *

"Uh huh...uh huh...Mr. Mitchell, how did you get a hold of these?" Judge Evans asks.

"I was visiting my parents and I decided to get some evidence." Logan explains. "As you can tell, the living conditions would not be optimal. They have a huge stash of drugs, a wine cellar filled with just about every kind of alcohol you can think of, and the place is a total mess! Why force Gabby to live like that?"

"I see." Judge Evans says, still looking at the pictures on Logan's phone. "And how did you injure your arm?"

"My dad caught me and he twisted my arm." Logan replies. He flinches at the pain in his arm, making sure to keep it still. Judge Evans appears to be very interested in the shocking photographs, yet unimpressed with what he sees. Maybe he's gonna see that Gabby is better off with her seventeen year old uncle than her forty three year old drug and alcohol loving grandparents. Older doesn't always mean better.

"He hurt you?"

"Yep."

"Well, you might consider pressing charges against him." Judge Evans tells him. "From what you've already told me, it sounds like you should have pressed charges a long time ago."

Logan stays silent this time. He doesn't wanna talk about everything his parents have ever done to hurt him. Anyway, all he cares about is keeping Gabby under his care. He has been taking very good care of her and they absolutely adore each other. For example, sometimes Gabby will crawl into his bed in the middle of the night, wanting to cuddle.

"What are you gonna do about the case? You can't possible wanna make Gabby live with them after seeing all this evidence." He says adamantly.

"True." Judge Evans agrees. "I'll consider throwing out the case, but I want you to get a little more evidence. This is pretty solid proof, but it's not enough."

"Not enough! What do you mean not enough?!"

"You need to get video of them acting up." Judge Evans explains. "Until I actually see them misbehaving, I'm afraid there's not much I can do."

Logan groans as he takes his phone, exiting the judge's office. More proof? The man wants more proof! Logan went through hell to get pictures of the drugs and alcohol that have consumed Ryan and Joanna's lives. And now Judge Evans wants him to videotape them! He desperately wants to scream his head off right now. In fact, he just might do it when he gets home.

* * *

**Review! :D**


	24. Private Investigation

"Are we seriously gonna do this? They're dangerous people!" Kendall protests.

"I can handle danger." Carlos says, taking Gabby's hand. "Gab, remember that we put a little tiny camera in your bow and we're gonna record everything that grandma and grandpa do, okay?"

"Kay kay!" Gabby chirps, allowing James and Carlos to lead her toward the front door of Ryan and Joanna's home. Just as they approach the house, James picks Gabby up, gently kissing her cheek as Carlos rings the doorbell. Since Logan is still recovering from his arm injury, they wanted him to stay across the street in the car with Kendall.

"You ready?" Carlos asks him. He nods, placing another kiss against Gabby's temple. He'll beat the stuffing out of anyone that tries to hurt Logan, Gabby, or any of his other friends. Logan is the first person that befriended him when he first moved her. They're really close and James is quite protective of him and his adorable niece.

"YOU'RE NOT A COP, ARE YOU?!" Ryan's booming voice shouts.

"No, it's Carlos, James, and Gabby!" Carlos says polite, his voice somewhat shaky. James tenses up when Logan's dad answers the door, tightening his arms around Gabby. The little camera is turned on, so everything that happens will be recorded. James is just really worried that they're motive for coming here will be discovered.

"I thought Logan was suppose to bring her." Ryan says boredly. The way it sounds, James doesn't think that the man really _wants _custody of Gabby. He and his wife are just doing this to get back at Logan. James doesn't know why they would need to get back at Logan, but that's just his guess. Gabby needs to be with someone that genuinely loves her and wants to take care of her.

"Logan's not feeling well." Carlos lies. Well, that's actually partly true. After Ryan nearly broke his arm a few days ago, he really hasn't been feeling so great. He said that his arm hurts like hell. God, James hates Logan's parents, especially his dad. His mom is more annoying than anything else.

Ryan rolls his eyes, not seeming to care one bit that his son is hurt. He doesn't seem to care about much of anything besides sitting in front of the TV and drinking booze.

James puts Gabby down, although he still keeps her close to him. He stands in front of her, really not trusting Ryan to be anywhere near the little girl. He got a good look at what Ryan Mitchell is really like the other day and the man gave him no reason to trust him with a little child. He's gonna make sure that Gabby leaves this place safe and sound.

"James, you can let him see Gabby." Carlos says, gently leading Gabby over to her grandfather. But she still stays close to Carlos, clinging to his leg. Even she doesn't feel comfortable around them. No one should be afraid of their own family! This is just plain sickening!

"I see you still have your teddy bear that grandma got you." Ryan says, trying to feign kindness. James rolls his eyes at the word "grandma." He and Joanna don't deserve to be parents, let alone grandparents! There's nothing grand about them!

And he can't believe that this is where Logan use to live! He takes better care of his own apartment! Everything is in its proper place, the apartment is clean, he bought decent furniture, and he keeps it organized. James can't say the same for Ryan and Joanna! He wishes that he could, but he just can't do it.

These are definitely not good living conditions for Gabby. She'll never have a good life if she lives here. That's one of the many reasons why Logan absolutely must win this case. If he doesn't, Gabby won't have the life that she deserves.

"Ry-" Joanna's face falls when she sees her son's two friends. James keeps a protective grip on Gabby's hand. He doesn't want them doing anything to harm her.

"We just figured that we could all spend some time with Gabby." Carlos says with false politeness. Ryan doesn't pay any attention. He's already back on the couch, downing a bottle of beer while watching football. He'll be a terrible parent figure for this girl. James hopes that the little camera caught this.

"We got something else for the little princess!" Joanna says. She whistles and an adorable Shiz Tsu puppy comes running into the room. Gabby isn't afraid anymore. The minute she sees that puppy, she squeals and drops to her knees in front of the dog. James loves puppies, but he cannot believe that Logan's parents are trying to bribe Gabby!

"Okay, are you guys trying to bribe her?" Carlos speaks up.

"Is that a problem?" Joanna snaps.

"Yeah, it kind of is." Carlos answers. "You're trying to get Gabby to like you so she'll _want _to live with you! Well, she belongs with Logan. When the judge discovers the truth about you two, he's gonna realize that Logan's age doesn't matter. He's more responsible than you two could ever be."

James kneels beside Gabby and reaches out to pet the little dog, sighing. He feels bad that this poor thing is stuck living with Ryan and Joanna. He wonders if Logan could get custody of both Gabby and the dog. If he can't afford it, James would be happy to take the puppy for himself. He has always wanted a dog.

"You really think that the judge is gonna grant custody to a seventeen year old boy?" Joanna snorts.

"Oh, I do." Carlos says coolly. He has never been this brave before. James didn't think that Carlos had the guts to speak to an adult like that. Go Carlos!

* * *

"Do you think that they'll get anything?" Kendall asks quietly.

"I hope." Logan says softly, adjusting the strap on his sling.

Kendall looks out the car window at the old house, disgusted by the sight. How could anyone think that living here would be a good thing for Gabby? She's much better off with her seventeen year old uncle. Unlike her grandparents, Logan genuinely loves her. His face lights up every time someone mentions her.

"They locked Kelsey and I out of the house once." Logan informs him. "We came home a little late from a party and they were all peeved off about it. We had to sleep outside."

Kendall cannot believe that they could be so cruel. He reaches out to Logan and pulls his friend into a hug. Sometimes he does get jealous because his mom sometimes appears to be more concerned about Logan, but he cares too. He wants what's best for both Logan and Gabby. They deserve a happy life together as a family.

"I have been raising her for the past eight months of my life." Logan says, his voice cracking. "And they think they can just take her away from me?"

Kendall gently rubs the boy's back, his hatred for Ryan and Joanna growing stronger. How could they ever put Logan through this? His life is so much harder because of them. At seventeen years old, he works, goes to school, pays his own bills, and raises his niece. If they had been better parents, he wouldn't have needed to be so independent at his age.

"I don't wanna lose my baby girl."

"You won't." Kendall whispers, still holding the broken boy in his arms. Gosh, he wishes that he could tell Ryan and Joanna a few things. He wants them to know _exactly _what he thinks. They are selfish, hateful, sick people. They still have one child left and they act like they don't want anything to do with him.

Beep!

"I got a text." He murmurs, looking at his cell phone.

_James: These people are so obnoxious! PS: They got Gabby a puppy:) She's so cute!_

"Hey, James said that they got Gabby a puppy." He frowns. That would be fine if it weren't for the situation. They're really just trying to bribe Gabby into wanting to live with them. If she thinks that they're gonna shower her with gifts, she might decide that she wants to be with them. But Logan gives her love and everyone knows that love is more special than any material things.

"We cannot afford a puppy." Logan says tiredly.

"Well..." Kendall hesitates. That's very true. Logan has other expenses, so he can't afford to buy dog food and veterinarian appointments. Who would be willing to take that dog in so it doesn't have to live with those jerks. There's always James or Carlos. James's mom has said that he wants to get a puppy soon.

"I know what they're doing." Logan says bitterly.

"We all know what they're doing." Kendall murmurs.

* * *

"We're getting some pretty good footage so far." Carlos murmurs to James, just loud enough for the boy to hear him. In the kitchen, Ryan and Joanna are having a heated argument. Carlos can't stand the thought of Gabby having to live here. Logan is the best parental figure that she'll ever have. He's both her uncle and her daddy. He has done everything to give her a good life.

"What are they even fighting about?" He questions.

"They're all out of his favorite...beer?" Gabby says before petting the new puppy. Joanna said that Gabby can name the dog whatever she wants. Gabby is leaning toward Logie, which is so sweet because she wants to name the puppy after her uncle. But this puppy is a girl, so none of them are sure if "Logie" is the right name for her.

Bark!

"JOANNA, GET THAT MUTT TO SHUT UP!"

Carlos flinches as a crashing sound is heard, followed by Joanna's sobs. Strangely, he almost feels a little sympathetic because it must suck having Ryan Mitchell for a husband. He treats his wife like dirt! Even she deserves a little more love and respect than he gives her. Carlos doesn't feel completely sorry for the woman, though. She still verbally abuses her son.

"I...w-wish..._he_...w-would...shut...up."

Carlos looks up upon hearing the words from the formerly deaf boy. He gets an excited smile on his face, scooting closer to his friend. It's been only a few weeks since he got the cochlear implant and his doctors have been amazed at how well he has progressed.

"Did you just talk?" He says cheerfully.

"Yeah..." James's voice is very slow, but all that matters is that he's saying something.

"Gabs, Jay talked!" Carlos says, wrapping his arms around James.

"Jay, say something else!" Gabby crawls onto James's lap, clapping her hands.

"Lo-Logan's p-parents are j-jerks." James stutters. Carlos laughs, giving James a squeeze. His voice is a bit off since he has never used it before, but whatever. He actually said words, which is really amazing! You know, considering his situation.

"Carlos, should we call the police?" Gabby asks when she hears glass breaking.

"Um, I actually think that we have enough evidence." Carlos says as they all get off the couch. "Let's get out of here!"

* * *

"Hey, we got some evidence!" Carlos says as he, James, and Gabby crawl into the backseat. "Logie" barks, jumping into the front passengers seat. Logan is very confused as she makes herself comfortable on his lap. Um, so...this is the new family pet? She's real cute, but Logan just doesn't know if they can afford to keep her. He wishes they could, though.

"Logie, James talked!" Gabby announces.

"Really?" Logan says, turning to face James. "Did you really talk, buddy?"

"Y-yeah." James says, his voice a tad shaky. Logan reaches out to give his friend a high five. James has a pretty nice voice. Lucy will sure like to hear this. She already thinks that James is the hottest person at Cook County High School and Logan can only imagine what she'll say when she hears his voice for the first time.

"I'm so proud of you." Logan says with a soft smile.

"Same here." Kendall says, pulling away from the curb. "Now, who's ready to put an end to this case?"

* * *

**So they got evidence and James actually spoke! I'm sorry if anything regarding the cochlear implant isn't accurate, but I hope that it's at least somewhat correct:)**

**Review! :D**


	25. Over

"Gabs, stay out here with Kendall, James, and Carlos." Logan instructs before storming down the hallway to Judge Evans's office with the video evidence in hand. It's time to put an end to this before they all lose their minds. He has heard of custody lasting more than a year and he doesn't want this to be one of those cases. He refuses to allow his baby girl to be put in the custody of two drug addicts/alcoholics.

"Your honor!" He says, pushing the door open. Judge Evans appears to be filling out some paperwork, but he looks up when he sees Logan. The boy holds up the flash drive with the video on it, smirking proudly. Ryan and Joanna are so busted. This video tells the whole truth about those two. The drugs, the alcohol, the verbal abuse, the physical abuse, and all that "good" stuff.

"Watch this." He hands the flash drive to the judge.

"What is this?" Judge Evans queries, plugging the flash drive into his computer.

"The video evidence you asked for." Logan says, sitting across from him. He prays that this video will be enough to put an end to this case once and for all. He may be a bit young, but he knows that he's capable of giving Gabby a good life. He feeds her, bathes her, helps her with her homework, and most importantly, he gives her plenty of love.

He carefully watches the judge's facial expressions. The man keeps a straight face most of the time, but even he looks horrified when he hears some of the language used. Oh, and let's not forget the sounds of glass breaking and faces being slapped. Logan was almost tempted to call the cops, then he remembers what his parents have put him through. Why should he help them when they never did anything for him?

"Interesting..." He murmurs. Interesting? This is just plain wrong! There is so much wrong with that household! This man better throw out this case so they can all get on with their lives. Logan still has to fill out his application for Duluth University, not to mention looking for an apartment and talking to Gabby's new school. He has a lot to do and he definitely doesn't need to a long court case to worry about.

"Violence, drugs, alcohol...definitely not good." Judge Evans murmurs. "Logan, it looks like you will be gaining full custody of that little girl."

Logan breathes a sigh of relief. He was so afraid that he was gonna lose his little girl, but maybe there's a chance that he might actually get to keep Gabby. He doesn't think he could stand losing her to the people that nearly ruined his life.

"Okay, this case is done." Judge Evans removes the flash drive from the computer. He puts it aside, while Logan silently thanks God. He's gonna get to keep his precious girl. His parents thought that they could take his girl away from him, but they were sadly mistaken.

"Thanks, your honor!" He says before getting up and exiting the office. He practically runs to the waiting area, suddenly picking Gabby up, spinning around, and placing kisses all over her face. He doesn't even care that he only has one good arm!

She giggles and so does he. This has turned out to be a perfect day. He and Gabby can be a family with no interruptions.

"You get to stay with me, baby!" He says sweetly.

"WOO HOO!" Kendall and Carlos yell, throwing their arms around him. James stands back, a small smile on his face. He seems to have gotten more...shy since he started hearing and even speaking a little bit. Maybe it's all happening so fast and it's intimidating him? Is that it? If so, Logan can understand that. Being able to hear and speak after being deaf your whole life probably is pretty weird.

"Now our lives can go back to normal!" Carlos say cheerfully.

"Yeah," Logan agrees, still hugging Gabby. "And I can get my sanity back."

* * *

"TAKE THAT, BOOZE LOVING PSYCHOPATHS!" Carlos yells out the window as Kendall drives past Ryan and Joanna's house. "GABBY IS STAYING WITH LOGIEBEAR!"

"Carlos, don't be obnoxious." Logan chuckles, wrapping his arm around Gabby. James smiles softly, taking a deep breath. He doesn't know why he can't bring himself to speak up. He sort of can talk now, but he's scared because he has never done it before. Maybe that's normal, though. Everyone feels scared when they try something new.

"Hey, go to the convenience store." Carlos says, bouncing in his seat. "We need to tell Lucy and Camille!"

James would like to see Lucy. He refuses to admit this, but he _really _likes her. She's a mixture of bad girl and nice girl all wrapped in one. She's sweet to people she likes and, well, not so nice to people that she can't stand. She doesn't take crap from anyone either. If she has an opinion about something, she'll say it whether anyone agrees or not.

Fifteen minutes later, they are parked in front of the convenience store. They all get out of the car and eagerly enter the building. Camille is helping a customer, but Lucy is sitting at an empty table with a magazine. The customer that Camille is helping is actually Jo! Maybe they should tell her how much they appreciate her dad allowing them to borrow one of his tiny video cameras. He's in the CIA, so he has a lot of cool spy gear.

"Jo, thank you so much for getting your dad to let us borrow that camera!" Kendall says, throwing his arms around his girlfriend. "Even though your dad hates me, I LOVE the man!"

"What happened?" Jo asks, hugging him bag.

"Oh, we took the video to the judge." Carlos smiles proudly. "He threw out the case!"

"YES!" Lucy suddenly yells, jumping out of her seat. "Pay up, Camille."

James snorts at the look on Logan's face as Camille hands a five dollar bill to Lucy.

"What the heck? Did you guys make a bet?"

"Yeah." Lucy replies. "Camille was paranoid that your parents might try to cheat, but I argued that they wouldn't and you would still win, which you did, which means that I just earned five dollars!"

"Th-that's r-really pathetic." James says. Boy, he hates the way he stutters. But he supposes that talking with a little stutter is better than not talking at all. Anyway, the looks that Jo, Camille, and Lucy are giving him...it's funny and it feels pretty good. He loves seeing the excitement on people's faces when they hear him speak for the first time.

"Did you just-" Lucy stammers.

"Yeah, Jay is finally learning to talk." Logan says, squeezing James's shoulder. Next thing James knows, all three girls are hugging him. Okay, he doesn't mind this at all. What guy doesn't love being hugged by a bunch of girls?

"Alright, so Logan definitely gets to keep Gabby?" Camille questions.

"Yep, she's all mine." Logan says, playing with Gabby's hair. The judge made a very smart decision. Quite frankly, this is one of those cases where age really doesn't matter. Logan is the more responsible person and he deserves to keep Gabby. She'll be much better off with him, rather than with Ryan, Joanna, and their secret stash.

"Logie, can we keep the puppy?" Gabby pleads. That puppy is waiting in the car, with the windows down so she doesn't suffocate.

Logan sighs. "Baby, I-"

"Puppy?" Lucy frowns.

"My parents tried to bribe her by getting a puppy." Logan explains. "Now, Gabby, I would love if we could keep the puppy, but I don't know if we can afford it."

"What if we all contributed?" Jo suggests. "We can always help you pay the veterinarian bills and if you ever need money for food or toys, we'll be happy to help too."

They all watch Logan carefully, waiting for his answer. James personally thinks that owning a puppy would be really good for Gabby. Doesn't owning a pet teach kids responsibility? That what the reason James's mom got him a hamster when he was five. So if he were Logan, he would allow Gabby to keep the dog.

"Okay! We'll keep her!" Logan finally says. Gabby squeals and throws her arms around Logan's leg, squeezing him tightly.

"J-just m-make sure that you tr-train her t-to use a c-crate." James warns them. That stutter still bothers him, but with a little speech therapy, it should go away! Right? He assumes that it works that way. He sure would like to be able to talk without stuttering. He's gonna be terrified to speak up in class until he can speak with no stutter in his voice.

"We will." Logan says before kneeling in front of Gabby. "But I'm not gonna do all the work, okay? You're gonna have to do your part."

Gabby is too excited to answer the question with anything other than another hug. Okay, that's very sweet.

"Alright, I'm gonna ask Marley if we can leave early." Camille giggles. "We've gotta celebrate."

* * *

"This is the celebration?" Lucy says flatly. "Sitting in front of Logan's TV, stuffing our faces with ice cream? I thought people only did that when they're depressed. Kind of like Logan when he and Julia broke up."

"J-julia? I-I use t-to date a g-girl named J-julia." James says slowly. Lucy smacks her hand against her forehead, glancing at James. Oh yeah, now she remembers. James and Logan both dated this Julia chick. At separate times, of course. Now that James can hear, they can no longer talk about this stuff in front of him.

"Hahahaha," Logan laughs anxiously. "That's...um...yeah, I've got nothing."

"Can we talk about something? I really don't wanna start an argument between these two." Kendall pleads.

That's enough to let Lucy know that it's now appropriate for her to scoot closer to James. The best part is that he doesn't even seem to care. In fact, he gladly lets her sit closer. It sure would suck if he backed away from her. She doesn't take embarrassment very well. The last time she got embarrassed (no, she will not tell you what happened), she ended up trashing her bedroom. So...Warning: DO NOT EMBARRASS LUCY STONE! EVER!

"This movie sucks!" Camille complains. They're watching some comedy film that was released a few years ago. It was a very unfortunate flop that did terribly at the box office, yet some people just can't resist watching.

"And it's disturbing." Jo adds.  
"Yeah, it is stupid." Gabby agrees.

"What does a six year old girl know?" Carlos whines.

"More than you think." Logan grumbles, changing the channel. Lucy nods, glancing at James. She wonders if he'll ever have a full conversation with anyone. They all know he can talk better now, but he never says more than one or two sentences at a time before shutting up again. It would be nice if he spoke up more often.

"Are you gonna go to the Valentines Dance?" She asks him.

"Ummm..." James hesitates. "Y-you know, m-my m-mom probably w-wants me h-home. B-bye!"

With that, he gets up and exits the apartment as fast as he can, leaving everyone else in a state of confusion.

* * *

**I hope this chapter was good:) I went to work at Adopt-A-Pet, then I went to a review session for my math test tomorrow night:P So today was kind of busy;)**

**The next chapter will be even better;)**

**Please review:D**


	26. New Girl

It feels so weird being at school and actually being able to hear and speak. Well, he actually hasn't said much since he arrived today. Lucy and his mom have said that his stutter is adorable, but he begs to differ. Does anyone else at this school talk with a stutter? He's pretty sure that the answer is no! He feels like a freak! He's not insulting people that stutter, but Jett Stetson insisted on making him feel like a freak this morning.

Now he's hiding out in the music room during study hall. He just doesn't feel comfortable being surrounded by a bunch of people right now. Yep, he's spending study hall alone. He doesn't even feel like hanging out with Kendall, Logan, or Carlos! He's in one of those "leave me alone or I'll bite your head off" moods. Sad, right?

He loves the piano kept in here. He learned how to play when he was about nine years old, but he hasn't touched one in a few months. He misses it, though. Now that he can hear, he might start playing again. For a while, he didn't really see the point of playing the piano if he couldn't even hear the music.

He looks up just as the new girl walks in. This is the first time he has seen her and he's shocked for a reason. The new girl is Julia? His ex girlfriend? Also Logan's ex girlfriend? Oh, he has quite a few pleasant memories with Julia. He never forgot her! She was a somewhat short, but very attractive red haired girl with a charming smile and an equally charming personality. What is she doing in Grand Marais?

"J-julia?" He stutters, getting her attention.

"James?" She questions, probably surprised to actually hearing him say something. He smiles at her and waves, which she doesn't seem to mind at all. Again, hearing him talk for the first time probably is kind of strange. She'll surely get use to it after a while, though. He doesn't want things to be awkward every time they talk to each other.

"I thought you were..." She hesitates.

"C-cochlear implant s-s-surgery." He explains briefly. Her face is filled with more understanding now. Now he needs to find out why she's here, not that he minds. Julia was probably one of his more successful relationships. About three of the girls he has dated ended up cheating on him, four moved away, two were using him, and Julia did none of those things. They broke up because they were fighting all the time. Just because James was deaf, it doesn't mean that he couldn't argue.

"Wow, that's cool." She says, sitting next to him.

"W-what are y-you d-d-doing h-here?" He asks her.

"My mom is the new tenth grade science teacher." Julia replies. James hates the awkward moment of silence that follows. Okay, so she's not use to being able to use words around him. He understands that, but it's really weird. Now that he can hear, he wants to hear people talk all the time. Sure, his ears are still adjusting to the cochlear implants, which sometimes make it hard to make out what people are saying, but it's getting a lot better.

"So, why are you here by yourself?" She asks him.

"I-I j-j-just w-wanted to be alone."

"Ah."

"Hey, who's the-" Logan says as he enters the music room, suddenly coming to a stop. "Julia?"

"Oh boy..." Julia breathes out. "Hey, Logan! My mom is the new, um, tenth grade science teacher."

James stares at the floor, his cheeks turning red. He and Logan both dated this girl at one point and now that she goes to school with them, their friendship is gonna turn awkward. He doesn't like the sound of feeling tense every time he and Logan are in the same room. Oh, and there's also Lucy and Camille. James has a feeling that those two definitely won't be happy about Julia's arrival.

"Look, I just came here to ask where Mr. Schneider's classroom is, but maybe I should ask someone else."

"No!" Logan says quickly. "Um, I'll take you there. James, I'll see you, Kendall, and Carlos after class!"

James gives him a somewhat sarcastic grin, crossing his arms and huffing bitterly as soon as his friend has left the room.

* * *

"So...what have you been up to?" Julia asks as she and Logan walk down the hallway. "How are your parents? And your sister!"

Yeah...Julia never knew about Kelsey's death. He lost touch with her after their breakup and she's too busy with school and her part time job to watch and/or read the news, so she never found out what happened. It isn't something that he likes talking about, but he better go ahead and tell her.

"Um, she..." He hesitates, looking at the floor. "She died in a car accident a few months ago. I got custody of her six year old daughter and it's just the two of us in the apartment I moved into after I got emancipated from my parents."

"Logan-"

"Just forget about it." He murmurs as they arrive at the correct classroom. "Um, here it is! Mr. Schneider's class."

"Thanks." Julia says, disappearing into the room. Logan sighs heavily, leaning against the wall. He remembers being completely in love with that girl, or at least thinking that he was in love. She was a bit of a nerd, like him. Of course, she's what most people would consider a "hot nerd." She loves video games, crossword puzzles, she makes straight A's, she loves computers, and she likes using "big words" in her sentences.

Gosh, he hated telling her what happened to Gabby's mom. That is one thing that he has desperately tried to avoid discussing. He won't talk about it unless someone else brings it up. Even then, he doesn't talk about it in detail. It's just too hard, you know?

"You okay?" Camille asks him.

"Yeah!" He lies. "It's just that my ex girlfriend is going to school here now and, well, I'm kind of surprised. I wasn't expecting her to show up! And there's also the fact that she's also James's ex girlfriend and-"

"Wait, what? She dated James too?"

"Yep." Logan answers as they start walking down the hallway. Well, this has been a really weird day. He came, thinking that he was just gonna have a normal day, and he finds out that his ex girlfriend, who also dated his best friend, has moved to his school. Let's not forget that he just finished a brief custody case against his psycho parents. His life just keeps getting weirder.

"Wow."

"Oh yeah."

* * *

Lucy was just minding her own business, writing an amazing new song, then she discovered James talking to an unfamiliar red head. She doesn't usually judge people before she gets to know them, but she has already decided that she doesn't like this chick. She's all prissy, smart, and not James's type at all. Sure, he deserves an intelligent girlfriend, but this girl seems has the annoying factor to go along with her obvious intelligence.

"Hey, who's the girl?" Jo asks her.

"I don't know." Lucy frowns, watching the new girl. The only thing she knows is that the girl's name is Julia, but only because James said her name. Okay, maybe she's kind of cute, but she's talking to James. Lucy hated sounding overly jealous, but she doesn't like seeing girls like that talking to her secret crush.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Who says?" Lucy retorts.

"Me." Jo says, smiling proudly as she walks away. Lucy grumbles under her breath, watching James and Julia talk quietly. He seems so afraid to talk much in front of everyone else, but he has no problem showing her his new voice. Would it be so wrong for Lucy to play an innocent prank on her?

"If it makes you feel any better, she was chatting with Logan last period." Camille points out. Lucy glares, not liking the sound of that at all. So she's playing games with Logan too? She sounds like a two timing skank. Lucy wouldn't be surprised if she had cheated on them in the past. James and Logan need to be saved from this girl.

"Who is she?" She asks adamantly.

"Julia Friedman." Camille informs her. "Her mom is the new tenth grade science teacher, she moved here from Duluth, and she has dated both James and Logan."

Lucy clenches her fists. Finally, she calms down and she's able to approach James and...Julia, a fake smile on her face. She hopes that she doesn't look too flushed. Deep down, she wants to rip a few strands of red hair out of the girl's scalp. Okay, Lucy, look friendly. Don't embarrass yourself by acting like a...you know.

"Hi!" She says with false sweetness. "You must be Julia! I've heard so much about you."

"R-really?" Julia stammers, confused.

"Oh yeah..." Lucy says through her teeth. "You and James use to date. At least, that's what I've heard."

"Yeah." Julia says, relaxing. "He's a sweetheart. I'm so excited to see him again!"

Ugh, James is blushing. Doesn't he see that Julia isn't the right girl for him? Lucy doesn't really give a chiz how sweet she may be. She's not the right girl for James Diamond. Then again, what does Lucy know? She hasn't known James for very long. She's kind of hoping that he likes _her. _

"And you use to date _Logan._" Lucy says coolly. "Isn't that right?"

"Uh..." Julia hesitates. Ah, Lucy is really enjoying this. Maybe a little too much!

"L-lucy, y-you're m-making her n-nervous." James sounds kind of annoyed.

"She should be, don't you think?" Lucy questions, leaning against the row of lockers. "I mean, being friends with both of her ex boyfriends? Things could get pretty ugly." She shoots Julia a cold look, walking in the opposite direction. But she feels kind of guilty for being so mean to the poor new girl. She just feels kind of possessive of James. Could that be the reason that she doesn't get many dates?

* * *

**Please review this and the latest chapter of Family Affairs:)**


	27. Ex-Girlfriend

**Julia's celeb lookalike is Ariana Grande:)**

Camille isn't crazy about Julia, but she's not gonna be rude and obnoxious like Lucy was. It's not like Julia was making out with James or Logan. She was just talking to them. No big deal, right? But Camille doesn't like the thought of Logan getting back together with her. She's the type that would date him, but walk away if he couldn't go on a date with her because Gabby isn't feeling well. She would be the one saying "Get someone else to watch her!"

"Okay," Julia says, entering the convenience store. "Why does Lucy keep acting like she wants to kill me?"

"If you don't like that, stay away from James." Camille says flatly. She looks up as Logan enters the store with Gabby, his hand in hers. He looks so much happier since he won the custody case. His parents were stupid to ever think that they could take her away from him. He's very responsible for his age.

"Just sit here and do your homework while I work, okay?" He says, leading her over to the table. He kisses her cheek and walks over to the counter, grabbing the new shipping of sodas that they received today. Now, speaking of Logan, Julia is looking at him. Okay, she's confusing! She acts like she has a thing for both James and Logan.

"But it's math!" Gabby whines. "I don't get it!"

"I can help you." Julia says sweetly, taking a seat next to the little girl.

Camille fakes a smile, walking over to Logan. She gives him a gentle hug, sensing that he could use one. Sometimes people just need to know that others care about them. Also, she wants to (hopefully) let Julia know that Logan is off limits too. If she's looking for a boyfriend, she can find someone else.

"I can't believe that your ex girlfriend goes to our school." She says as she begins helping him put sodas away.

"It's great, isn't it?" Logan tells her. Camille keeps a smile on her face, even though she's not happy about his statement at all. Great? No, it's not! Julia ""Goody two shoes" Friendman is gonna ruin Lucy and Camille's chances of getting the guys that they're so deeply attracted to. Would it be so wrong if they sabotaged her? They wouldn't do anything serious, just something to possibly get her to leave Grand Marais.

"Um, yeah..." She says slowly. She glances over at Gabby and Julia, taking a deep breath. Gabby seems to be having fun and that's perfectly fine, but Camille hopes that she and Julia won't get too close. Gabby already has a mommy, who happens to be dead. It's perfectly fine if she has women in her life that help Logan take care of her, but she'll only have one mother.

"I don't know why, but I get the feeling that James is mad at me." He tells her. "In eighth period, he wouldn't even look at me."

"I don't know why he would be mad at you." Camille frowns. She puts the remaining sodas away before grabbing the box, carrying it back to its proper place behind the counter. She looks up when Lucy arrives, smiling awkwardly. Oh, she's not gonna like knowing that Julia is here. Of course, there's nothing she can do. Julia has just as much of a right to be here as any other customer.

"Oh, what is she doing here?" Lucy snaps.

"I was just helping Gabby with her math homework." Julia says, trying to be polite. Lucy huffs, dropping her bag behind the counter. She crosses her arms, glaring at Julia. Wow, this is awkward. Marley will be so mad if those two get into a cat fight in the store. And their parents will be mad if they fight at all.

"Is she after Logan too?" Lucy whispers.

"I think so." Camille murmurs, her blood boiling. She doesn't wanna sound like a...well, you know what, but she dislikes Julia almost as much as Lucy does. She simply doesn't wanna see Logan get his heart torn to shreds again. As if he hasn't already been through enough!

* * *

"I'm gonna go to the store." Brooke says, kissing James's forehead. "Don't leave this apartment, okay?"

"Okay." He says softly. He watches as his mom leaves, his arms crossed. He can't leave the apartment? Why the hell not? He can hear and he can speak now, so he sees nothing with her giving him a little more freedom. She was so protective of him when he was still deaf and she must get use to him being somewhat more independent.

You know what? It's time for him to rebel a little bit. He has listened to his mom his whole life, but it's time for him to stand up and declare that it's time for him to grow up. So he gets off the couch and grabs his gray hoodie, slipping it over his head. He's gonna ride his skateboard to the fine arts center, which is right down the street.

He peeks outside and when he sees that his mom is gone, he grabs his skateboard and leaves the apartment, making certain that it's locked. Then he walks down the hallway to the elevator. He's tired of being overprotected, especially now that he can hear and talk like everyone else. He's perfectly capable of having a little independence.

When he's outside, he steps onto his skateboard and begins wheeling his way down the street. His mom never let him skateboard without supervision because she was afraid that he would get hit by a car. Now that his deafness is gone, they won't have to worry about that. His cochlear implant is beginning to work even better, so his hearing has improved significantly.

HONK! HONK!

Yeah, he hears the car horn and he skates out of the way before the vehicle can hit him, but he moves a little too fast. He skates into the side of a brick building, twisting his leg the wrong way. He lays on the ground for a minute before finally sitting up. Ugh, his right leg really hurts. He tries to get up, but it hurts too much.

He finally does manage to get back on his feet, but he can't put much weight on his leg. The pain is so bad that he could cry, but he doesn't. He's not much of a crier, you know? He probably just sprained his leg. All he needs to do is get back to the apartment, elevate the injured limb, put some ice on it, and rest. Then it'll get better on its own!

Unfortunately, he only manages to walk a few steps before the pain becomes too much and he collapses back to the ground. So he tries crawling, but he can't even do that. He squeezes his eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. He didn't bring his cell phone with him, so he can't call anyone for help.

Now his leg feels like it's on fire. Oh, it hurt so bad!

He touches his leg, which only makes the pain flare up. He holds back a cry of pain, desperate for some help. He's gonna have to stand back up and get himself back to the apartment. He can't let his mom know that he left without her permission. So he gets back up, nearly bursting into tears. But he manages to stay standing, limping back to the apartment building.

"Owww..." He whimpers. Now he wishes that he had listened to his mom. He just wanted to show that he's capable of being independent. He didn't wanna hurt himself!

When he's back in the apartment, the first thing he does is get some ice packs from the freezer. Then he limps to the living room, where he takes a seat in the recliner chair. He reclines the chair and places the ice packs on his leg before putting a blanket over himself in an attempt to hide his injury from his mom. She must _never _find out that he disobeyed her.

* * *

"Alright, you and I are gonna visit James." Logan says as he and Gabby approach the door to James's apartment. He twists the doorknob, pleased when the door opens. He enters the living room, where James is currently watching TV. For some reason, the guy almost looks like he's in pain. Why would that be?

"Are you okay?" He frowns. "You've been acting weird ever since I walked Julia to class."

"I-i'm n-not m-m-mad, if that's w-what y-you're thinking." James answers. Logan gives him a strange look as he flinches when Gabby crawls onto his lap. He happily accepts a hug from her, but he's obviously hurt.

"What did you do?"

"W-what are y-you t-talking a-b-b-out?" James queries. Logan shakes his head as he helps Gabby off James's lap, removing the blanket from his friend's body. Ice packs are on various places on his right leg. Ah ha! James hurt his leg and he didn't want anyone to know! Gosh, he can be insane sometimes. Everyone knows that you should tell someone if you're injured.

"What happened?" He asks, kneeling beside James's right leg.

"I w-w-was skate-b-boarding, I sw-swerved to avoid a c-car, and I-I-I f-fell and hurt m-my leg." James explains. "I th-think I sprained it."

"Well, you did the right thing by putting ice on it and elevating it." Logan tells him. "But I have another question for you. Are you jealous of Julia and I?"

James scoffs in response, crossing his arms. His jaw is clenched tightly and he's obviously purposely trying to make Logan nervous. Why? Is there anything wrong with Logan being just friends with Julia? James can rest assured that he has no interest in making Julia his girlfriend. He only needs one girl in his life and that's Gabby. Besides, he doesn't have time for dating. Between school, work, and caring for Gabby, he barely has time to breathe, let alone date! Is James not aware of that?

"Jay, I don't wanna date her!" He insists.

"Y-yeah, I b-b-bet." James says sarcastically. Logan rolls his eyes. Now James is just being difficult. Well, if he wants to keep being a pain in the rear end, then that's fine. Go right ahead, James!

"You know what? Gabby and I are gonna go home, but we'll talk to you later." He says coolly, reaching for Gabby's hand. He can tell that Gabby really doesn't wanna leave yet, but she'll be fine once Logan makes her a snack and lets her watch a Fairly Oddparents marathon. It's easy to entertain her. What's difficult is getting James to stop being so jealous!

* * *

**I'm gonna study for my government test:/ I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Remember that the story is gonna keep getting better;) More drama, more romance, and all that good stuff:P **

**Review! :D**


	28. Hospital

It's been four hours and James's leg _still _hurts like hell, not to mention that he's still irritated with Logan. He can't even put ice packs on his leg now because his mom is here and he doesn't want her to know that he left the apartment after she told him not to. Can she blame him for wanting a little freedom? He doesn't see why she should blame him! He has been deaf his while life and he's finally got his hearing!

"Honey, dinner's ready!" Brooke announces from the dining area. James groans softly, squeezes his eyes shut as he pushes himself out of the chair. He tries to keep from limping, but it's terribly hard. The fact that his mom is eyeing him with concern doesn't help either. He doesn't know if he'll be able to hide it much longer.

"Baby, are you okay?" She asks suspiciously.

"Y-yeah." He lies, lowering himself into his seat. He gives her a fake smile, drinking a sip of sweet tea. He's never gonna disobey his mom ever again. His leg is hurting so much. What if it's broken:? But he wouldn't be able to walk on it if it was broken. It's definitely just sprained, but it's killing him.

"You don't look like you're feeling so good." Brooke says, reaching out to stroke his hair. He stays silent and grabs a slice of pizza, taking a small bite. Should he just tell his mom that he's hurt? She can't be too mad at him when he's injured. Really, this pain is starting to get to him and he really wants it to go away, which means that he should probably see a doctor.

"M-mom, c-c-can I t-tell you something?" He flinches.

"What's the matter?" She asks worriedly.

"I-I-I w-went outside and I-I f-fell off m-my skate-b-board." He confesses. "I-I think I h-hurt m-my leg."

"Oh, James..." Brooke says, getting out of her chair. She gently grabs him and guides him to the living room, making him sit on the couch. She begins rolling up his right pants leg, revealing some rather severe bruising. He holds back a cry of pain when she touches the skin, unknowingly letting some tears fall.

"It h-hurts..." He whimpers.

"We've gotta get you to the hospital." She says, helping him stand back up. He yelps when he accidentally puts pressure on his injured leg. He and his mom carefully exit the apartment and head straight for the elevator. Why isn't she lecturing him for disobeying her? His mom is way too understanding sometimes.

"We'll talk about the fact that you disobeyed me after we get your leg checked out." She tells him.

And there it is!

He whimpers softly, the pain in his leg getting seemingly worse. He doesn't know if he has ever felt anything like this. His mom has protected him his whole life, so he hasn't really had any reason to worry about injuries. Of course he would screw up as soon as he gained the ability to communicate with something other than his hands and a pen and paper.

"O-ow!" He stammers. Brooke gently shushes him as they finally exit the elevator. Logan and Gabby are returning from what must have been a trip to the local ice cream shop. Oh, lucky them! They get to go about their business while James is about to be dragged to the hospital. So freaking annoying!

"So you found out about the leg?" Logan laughs nervously. James shoots him a dirty look.

"You knew about this?" Brooke asks him.

"Yeah, he knew!" Gabby says before running ahead. Logan smacks his hand against his face, while James, although in pain, manages to crack a proud smile. Now he's not the only one in trouble. Logan can suffer his mom's wrath with him. Of course, Logan doesn't look too pleased, but he's the one that has been all over Julia. He deserves this!

"Logan, get Gabby and come with us to the hospital." Brooke says coolly. "You, James, and I are gonna have a little talk."

* * *

Logan anxiously taps his foot against the floor, trying to avoid Brooke's gaze. She doesn't look pleased at all. Okay, so he didn't tell her that her son went out when she told him not to, but that's his fault! Why does Logan have to get involved? Although he and James are friends, some things just aren't his business.

"Logie, why couldn't we bring the other Logie?" Gabby asks, referring to the new family dog.

"Gab, I don't think the hospital would allow us to bring a dog." Logan says, glancing at Brooke. He gives her an awkward wave, but she doesn't respond. She crosses her arms and gives him a look that says "you're in so much trouble, young man." You know, kind of like moms do with their own sons.

"James Diamond?" The doctor queries.

"How is he?" Brooke asks frantically.

"He's fine! He sprained his leg pretty badly and will have to use crutches for a few weeks, but he's fine."

"Okay!" Brooke pipes up before he can finish. "Logan, Gabby, I am gonna visit my son. You can come if you'd like."

Logan frowns as he takes Gabby's hand, leading her down the hallway. They end up standing at the door of room 209, James's room. He'll likely leave the hospital, but they put him in a room so he can rest for a while. Anyway, when they enter the room, his leg is propped up with a pillow and he's reading the latest issue of Pop Tiger.

"How are you feeling, honey?" Brooke asks, kissing his forehead. "Is your leg feeling better?"

"Y-yeah." James answers, putting the magazine on the over bed table. He waves at Logan sarcastically and the uninjured boy smirks. They've been "fighting" over a girl. How stupid is that? But James is stubborn and if he wants to bicker, he will. Well, Logan doesn't mind at all! Just let James obsess over their ex girlfriend! Quite honestly, he can have her!

"Now, I need to have a talk with you boys." Brooke says, moving so that she is standing at the end of James's bed. "James, I told you that I didn't want you leaving the apartment. You disobeyed me! As for you, Logan, you knew that my son was hurt and you didn't say a word to me. Would you like to explain?"

Logan gulps, looking down at Gabby. Ugh, she's just looking up at him with that cute "Uncle Logan's in big trouble" smile. Don't laugh at his misfortune, kid.

"Logan?"

"I figured that it wasn't any of my business!" He says suddenly. "James is the one that decided to go against your wishes and leave the apartment, so shouldn't it be his responsibility to tell you the truth?!"

"W-whoa, d-don't blame this on m-me!" James argues.

"Well, it's true!" Logan retorts.

"Both of you are in trouble, so hush!" Brooke interrupts. Logan and James quiet down, glaring at each other. Oh, James is just being difficult! When is he gonna get it through his head that Logan has no interest in Julia as anything more than a friend? Logan doesn't have time for a girlfriend and even if he wanted one, Julia's the last person that he would date!

"James, you're grounded for two weeks." Brooke says calmly. "And Logan...well, you're not my kid, so there's not much I can do with you."

"I can ground him!" Gabby suggests. Logan rolls his eyes and gives her a look, his cheeks reddening. Yeah, like he's gonna let _her _ground _him. _She's the kid and he's the (almost) adult. It's not her job to discipline anyone.

"Let's just go home." He tells her. "We'll talk to James later."

* * *

"LOGAN PHILLIP MITCHELL, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO JAMES?!" Lucy yells, storming into Logan's apartment.

"Lucy, she's six!" He scolds, motioning to Gabby.

"Whatever! Why is James on crutches?!" Lucy questions.

"He was skateboarding, swerved to avoid an oncoming car, and he sprained his leg." Logan mutters. He grumbles under his breath, grabbing a Coke from the fridge. All this Julia business is getting on his nerves. You don't let a girl come between friends! Yet James is acting all cold all because of a girl that he and Logan haven't seen in forever!

"Idiot." Lucy says bitterly. Logan chuckles lightly. She must be annoyed with James too. After all, she obviously likes him and he's been talking to his ex girlfriend. Why should she be okay with that? Logan knows that he wouldn't be happy if he saw Camille talking to one of her ex boyfriends. He wouldn't tackle the guy, but he would be irritated.

"He's been acting like a pain in the rear end ever since Julia moved here."

"Speaking of Julia, what's up with you and her?" Lucy asks, leaning against the counter.

"I have no interest in her whatsoever." Logan replies. Lucy huffs, taking the Coke bottle from him. She takes a sip, her hand shaking. Boy, does this girl have a temper. She's probably the most temperamental girl that he has ever met. One guy on the hockey team was making inappropriate comments about her and she tried to attack him with his own hockey stick.

"I feel like going to that girl's house and telling her to stay away from him."

"You would probably get reported for harassment." Logan warns. Somehow, he doesn't think that Lucy cares. She just wants Julia to back off James. Their mini rivalry likely won't end well. Logan can sort of feel it. Lucy has been doing everything she can to intimidate Julia. Although Julia was simply a bit freaked out at first, it's pretty obvious that she's starting to get annoyed.

"Whatever." She mutters. Logan raises his hands in defense. If she gets in trouble, it's not gonna be his fault.

* * *

**No, she's not gonna go to Julia's house, but there will be some drama between those girls;)**

**Review! :D**


	29. Fix My Heart

Lucy shakes her head, watching Julia from a distance. She hardly talks to the girl, but she can't stand her. Right now, that slut is not only hitting on James, but she's almost got Kendall and Carlos under her spell. Heck, even Jo is ready to strangle her and everyone knows that Jo is one of the sweetest girls around. She told Lucy that she thinks Julia is a man stealing whore! That's pretty harsh coming from her.

Lucy can't stand anymore of this, so it's time for her to step in. Keeping her head held high and a false smile on her face, she approaches the group. She loves the way Julia tenses up every time she's around. She doesn't know why, but it brings her some amusement. You know, just knowing that Julia is actually afraid of her.

"Jay, Carlitos, Kendork, could you give Julia and I a moment alone?" She requests. James looks pretty reluctantly, but he limps away on his crutches with Kendall and Carlos following close behind. That leaves Lucy to "calmly" confront Julia, the skank that has been messing with the guy that she likes.

"You can't force James to like you, you know?" Julia points out.

"Listen here, you little red headed harlot," Lucy says bitterly, getting in Julia's face. "You can't make him like you either. I know exactly what you're up to. You think that he and Logan will both coming running into your arms like two desperate puppies. Well, let me tell you something. Logan's too smart to fall for your act and James...well, he belongs to me now. I'm not gonna let you put him on a leash, like you can manipulate him to do whatever you want."

Julia sighs. "So you're saying that James isn't as intelligent as Logan? Lucy, he heard everything you just said."

Lucy looks over her shoulder, her face softening when she sees James. He really _did _hear everything. Now she knows she worded her rant wrong. First of all, "he belongs to me now?" He's not a possession! She knows that! She meant to say that he's her guy! At least he will be! Next, she didn't mean to say that he's not as smart as Logan.

"Jay-" Carlos says, reaching out to the boy. James looks disappointed as he turns around and limps away. Lucy and Julia look in the opposite direction and see Logan standing there, his arms crossed. He's shaking his head, so he's not happy with either one of them. Maybe Lucy _should _try anger management.

"You're both pathetic, you know that?" He says as he begins walking away. "Lucy, you hate Julia so much that you would say those things, knowing that James would hear you? And Julia, stop acting like you have a chance with either one of us! You and James broke up, you and I broke up, you need to find someone else!"

"Oooh, Logiebear's getting feisty." Carlos sings. Kendall bursts out laughing in response.

"Shut up." Logan mutters, storming away. Lucy gives Julia another dirty look before going after James. Even she's mature enough to know when she needs to apologize.

"Wait a minute!" Logan returns. "I'll talk to him."

"But-"

"Shhh!" Logan interrupts. "Again, _I _am gonna talk to him."

* * *

Logan can't believe that he and James have been so stupid about this whole Julia thing. For goodness sake, she's just a girl! She's not worth risking their friendship. Then there's the incident that just occurred. He understands that she was angry, but she handled it the wrong way. She made it sound like James is too stupid to think for himself.

"Jay? James, where did you go?" He questions, looking in every room he passes. He finally figures it out after several minutes of searching. James is in the music room! He has to be! When Logan finally arrives at that room, he finds that his guess was correct. James is sitting at one of the pianos all alone.

"L-leave me alone." He sniffles.

"Jay, she didn't mean it like that." Logan says, sitting next to him.

"I know w-what she m-meant." James tells him. "I'm t-t-too stupid to know w-what I w-want. I'm n-not smart enough to m-make m-my own d-d-decisions about who I c-can and c-can't be friends with. Look, I already know that I'm not as smart as you. Hell, I'm probably not even as good looking as you, but-"

Logan sighs heavily. James is being ridiculous. First of all, there's no way that he's better looking than James. Secondly, why does he care so much if people think he's smart? He doesn't have to be exactly like the nerds at this school. In fact, he should probably be glad that he's not so smart. He's less likely to get tossed into a trashcan.

"That's crazy-"

"W-why?!" James snaps. "W-w-why is it s-s-so crazy? It's tr-true!"

Logan doesn't know what to think. James is usually pretty confident, despite some of his struggles. It's weird seeing him be so down on himself. Normally, he's the one making jokes about what a nerd Logan is. Now he suddenly thinks that he's not good enough? It's crazy! James is okay the way he is! Can't he accept that? Quite frankly, Logan gets jealous of him sometimes. He's the one that the ladies are so drawn to, not Logan!

"L-logan, I-I-I don't think y-you r-really understand." James whispers. "I-I know that I-I'm n-not that smart or independent, but I-I-I don't need people throwing i-it in m-my face."

This is unbelievable. James is taking what Lucy said the wrong way, but he seems determined to believe that people think he's stupid and unable to think for himself. He was thinking for himself when he decided to sneak Gabby a cookie before dinner the other night. Logan sure as heck didn't tell him to do that.

"Why are you being like this?" He questions. "You're making a big deal out of nothing!"

"Oh, l-like y-y-you haven't m-made a b-big deal out of anything!" James retorts. "Th-that one t-time that your m-mom showed up, you p-p-punched the w-wall! D-don't you d-dare t-t-tell me about o-o-overreacting!"

Logan is already headed for the door. He's not gonna sit here and listen to James talk about him and things he has said or done. He remembers that unwanted visit from his mom and, quite honestly, he doesn't wanna talk about her or anyone else in his family. He doesn't even wanna talk about Gabby's mom, even though Kelsey was the only family member that showed him any love or respect.

"K-keep b-b-being so overbearing a-and G-gabby w-will b-be out the d-door as soon as she's eighteen."

Logan clenches his fists. Okay, now James is pushing it.

"W-what about y-your p-parents? D-did y-you get some of y-y-your personality from them?"

"Shut up." Logan says through his teeth.

"W-was y-y-your s-s-sister as m-much of a know it all as y-y-you? O-oh, and on another n-note, when's the l-last t-t-time that y-you v-visited her grave?"

Logan angrily storms out of the music room and heads straight for the restroom. He keeps wiping the tears that have begun falling until he's finally hidden in a stall. He sinks to the floor and bursts into tears. It's a good thing that there's no one else around. He couldn't stand to let anyone see or hear him cry.

"Logan?"

Did Camille seriously follow him into the men's restroom?

He tries his best to stop his tears, but he starts crying harder every time he tries. Gosh, he forgot to lock the stall door. Before he can once again attempt to make the tears stop, a familiar set of arms wraps around him, pulling him close. He gets way too comfortable with Camille and immediately buries his face in her shoulder, not bothering to force himself to stop crying.

Occasionally, Camille will wipe his tears away with her thumb, but she finally just gives up.

"You can cry." She whispers. "It's okay."

So he keeps crying, no matter how embarrassed he feels.

* * *

By eighth period, James and Logan are still ignoring each other. James hates it, though. He wants to tell Logan how sorry he is, but his friend just won't have it. Logan even switched seats in all of the classes they have together. He refuses to acknowledge James at all. It really hurts, you know? He wonders if writing a letter would work.

He glances at Logan, who is sitting two seats to his right. The boy looks so concentrated, but it's easy to tell that he has been crying. James can't believe that he made his friend _cry_. That's the last thing that he wanted to do! He was just angry because he feels like Logan just doesn't understand how badly he was hurt earlier. Speaking of _that _situation, he's not speaking to Lucy either.

"Dude, you screwed up big time." Carlos murmurs awkwardly.

"Y-yeah," James agrees. "I know."

RIIIIING!

The first thing James does when the dismissal bell goes off? He tries to approach Logan, even gently grabbing his wrist in an attempt to get him to stay. Logan won't have none of that either. He yanks his wrist out of James's grip, making a quick exit. James doesn't know what to do. Has he caused permanent damage to their friendship?

"W-what am I-I-I suppose t-to d-do?" He asks Kendall and Carlos.

"You might wanna leave him alone for a while." Kendall answers. "I remember the last time I pissed him off and it wasn't pretty. I tried to apologize just a few hours after our fight and he just blew up. If you value your sanity, _do not _talk to him until he cools down."

How long will that take? James doesn't know how long he'll be able to go without having Logan to talk with. Truthfully, Logan is probably his closest friend. It sucks when your closest friend is mad at you. Ugh, he has gotta have better self control.

* * *

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	30. When Sorry's Not Enough

Kendall definitely wasn't pleased when James told him what he (James) said to Logan earlier, but that doesn't mean that he's gonna be entirely angry with James. When you're upset, sometimes you say things that you don't mean. Although, the comment about Logan not visiting his sister's grave...well, that was a little overboard. Now Logan and Gabby are at Kendall's house and he's wondering exactly what he should say.

"Kendall, why is Logie sad?" Gabby wonders.

"He and Uncle James got into a little fight." Kendall explains. He peeks into the living room, where Logan is sitting on the couch with Mama Knight and a bowl of popcorn. She has been doing her best to sooth him, but his mood just hasn't improved. Oh, let's not forget that his eyes are still red and puffy from crying earlier.

Kendall watches as Gabby walks over to her uncle, crawling onto his lap and snuggling into his chest. He wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head, while Kendall keeps observing. Logan has never been this quiet before. He might be a little shy, but not so much that he stays completely silent.

"What did you and Jay fight about?" Gabby asks.

"Um," Logan hesitates, his breath shaky. "Just...stuff."

Kendall worries about the guy sometimes. He doesn't seem interested in having any real conversation about Kelsey, even with Gabby. It's kind of unfair because Gabby shouldn't have to be afraid of talking about her mom. It's not like Kendall is gonna criticize Logan for not wanting to talk about it, but he just thinks that it would be a good thing.

"Sweetie, James said something that really hurt him." Mama Knight explains. "But I'm sure they'll work it out."

"I don't think so." Logan grumbles, playing with Gabby's hair. How can he say that? He and James are best friends! Is he seriously gonna throw away their friendship over a silly fight? That is the most ridiculous thing that Kendall has ever heard. To be honest, although James went about it the wrong way, he's right about Logan and the whole grave thing. He hardly ever goes to Kelsey's grave.

"Mom, could you watch Gabby?" He says. "I'm gonna take Logan somewhere.

* * *

"Kendall, why the hell are we here?" Logan complains as his friend parks in front of the cemetery.

"I just think that you need to do this." Kendall says, getting out of the vehicle. Logan angrily slams the car door shut before leaning against the vehicle, glaring at Kendall. He doesn't wanna be here! His heart nearly shatters every time he drives by this place. How can Kendall make him come here?

"Come on." Kendall says, reaching for his arm. He tries to pull away, but he doesn't have any choice once he is thrown over Kendall's shoulder, only being able to flail his arms and legs. This is wrong on so many levels! Man, he really needs to start working out, so he can run faster next time. He doesn't wanna stare at his sister's freaking tombstone!

"Here we are." Kendall says, putting him down. He looks down at the granite tombstone, his eyes filling with tears. He still can't believe that his sister is gone...and that James's cousin was the one that killed her. Speaking of James, this gives him another reason to be angry. He had let it go, but now he doesn't know if he wants to.

"You have visited her only _twice _since she...died." Kendall tells him. Logan turns away, staring out into the distance. Kendall doesn't get it. Logan hasn't had time to visit Kelsey's grave because he has been busy raising her daughter. He has to get her to school, as well as himself, and he has to work.

"I know." He says softly. "But I just can't stand to be reminded that I'm alive, while she's buried underneath the ground."

"Logan, you're not saying-"

"I wish that accident had killed me instead!" Logan finally yells, whipping around to face him. "I wish I had been driving that car instead of her! James's stupid cousin could have killed me and Gabby could still have her mom!"

Kendall tries to grab his wrist, but he yanks it out of his friend's grip. He doesn't need Kendall to tell him _anything. _It's obvious that he's the one that should be dead right now. Kelsey didn't deserve to be killed because of someone else's recklessness. Logan, on the other hand, deserves everything that Kelsey went through, including the accident that claimed her life.

"Don't say that!" Kendall says desperately. "It hurt when Kelsey died, but it would have been the same way if you had died."

"Oh, like it would have mattered!" Logan snaps.

He's starting to freak out. He can feel it. He hasn't had a panic attack in years, but he's getting that all too familiar feeling again. He has to get out of here before he ends up in the hospital. So he walks quickly back to the car, getting into the front passengers seat. He feels absolutely awful, you know? Gosh, why did Kendall have to bring him here?

"Logan!"

"What?!" Logan snaps.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just thought that this might be good for you." Kendall says calmly.

"Just take me home." Logan murmurs. "Please."

* * *

James feels like the stupidest person alive. He had something that he never should have said in the first place. He hurt Logan, which he _never _intended to do. All he ever wanted was to be a good friend, but he definitely wasn't being a good friend when he criticized Logan for not visiting Kelsey's grave enough. He doesn't know why he said that.

He reluctantly approaches Logan's door, taking a shaky breath. He knows that Logan probably hates him. He made Logan cry. What kind of friend does that? Certainly not a good one. James cares about Logan, so he can't figure out why he said something so hateful, so mean. And that comment about Gabby leaving once she turns eighteen? Gabby adores Logan, no matter how uptight he can be sometimes. It's so obvious when she looks at him that she loves him.

He knows that he should apologize. That's why he's standing at Logan's door. But he's starting to wonder if he should just go home. He doesn't want to, though. He wants Logan to know how sorry he is and how he never meant to hurt Logan in any way. He cares, he really does. The last thing he _ever _wanted was to hurt a friend.

Knock! Knock!

"Coming!" Gabby announces.

"JAY!" She squeals when she opens the door, throwing her arms around his waist.

"Gabby, go do your homework." Logan murmurs. Gabby does as she is told, while Logan only stares at James. He doesn't look pleased at all, which hurts James. It never use to be a problem for him to stop by, until their little disagreement. How can he make it up to Logan? How can he let his friend know that he's sorry and that he never meant a word he said?

"What do you want?" Logan asks him.

"I-I...I just...I wanted to say...that I'm...sorry." James says slowly. He's been practicing talking without a stutter and he thinks that he's getting better. He's hoping to be able talk normally soon. Now, more importantly, he wants to hear that Logan will forgive him for the awful things that he said. He doesn't know if he can forgive himself, but he hopes that Logan will.

"You're not sorry." Logan says.

"Logan-"

"If you were capable of remorse, you would have kept your mouth shut in the first place." Logan says adamantly. James's eyes well up with tears. Logan...is he really gonna lose his best friend? He can't stand the thought. Logan is the first person that befriended him when he moved here. He's like a brother to James, who can't stand the possibility of losing him.

"Logan," James breathes. "Y-you don't understand! I-I-I never m-meant to hurt you. I-I was just...I was s-s-so angry about Lucy and Julia's argument...and I...I...I took it out on you. I'm _really _sorry and I d-d-desperately wish that y-you would forgive me."

Logan's eyes are emotionless. James has a feeling that it's gonna take a little more than "sorry" to earn forgiveness. He wishes it were that simple, but it's not. Sometimes you may go a little too far and an apology just isn't enough to make it okay. James hates that it's like that. He just wants his friend back.

"You don't know what I've been through, James." Logan explains. "Your cousin and his recklessness stole Kelsey's life from her. Because of your cousin, Gabby doesn't have a mother. She only has me. I don't have time to sit in front of Kelsey's grave and wallow in my misery because I am busy taking care of that little girl. If you can't accept that, then maybe we shouldn't even be friends."

That's when silent tears begin falling. Logan basically just said that their friendship may be over. James doesn't know what to say. He knows what he said was wrong, but he didn't think it would cause him to lose his best friend.

He looks down at the floor, leaning on his crutches. So this is it? He's suppose to just walk away and let Logan stay mad at him? He can't do that, can he? There's no way that he can allow their friendship to come to an end.

"Y-you know what?" He says softly. "I-I'll w-walk away now, but I-I'm gonna f-fix this, Logan. Y-you just w-watch."

* * *

**How will James make things right? Find out in the next chapter:)**

**Also, there's one more chapter of Family Affairs left, then I'll post my next story:) I have decided that it will be rated M, but that's mainly because there's a lot of violence and teen party scenes! Yes, there is some language, but it's nothing hard core and there are no graphic love scenes**

**Review! :D**


	31. Apologize

**I had a minor bout of Writer's Block yesterday, so I could not update:/ But now it's gone! :D**

James watches from afar as Logan guides Gabby into the school office. He heard that her teacher had a family emergency and had to leave. He would really like to walk (well, limp) into that office and once again tell Logan that he's sorry, but he doubts that his apology would be accepted. There's gotta be a different way to handle this. He doesn't know how, but he definitely has to find a way to get Logan to be his friend again.

"James?"

He turns around to face Lucy, frowning. He doesn't really feel angry with her anymore, but he doesn't exactly know how to talk to her either. He still feels hurt about what she said and he has a feeling that it's not gonna be easy to let anything go. He certainly wants to, but that doesn't mean that he can

"We haven't spoken in a few days, so I thought we could-" She hesitates.

"What?" James says quietly.

"If I hadn't said what I said, you wouldn't have gotten upset, and you wouldn't be fighting with Logan right now." Lucy admits. "I'm sorry."

James nods, turning back toward the office. Logan is handing Gabby a chocolate bar that she seems very excited about. She does love chocolate bars, especially Hershey's. The way Logan smiles at her as he gives her the snack is sweet. James hopes that Gabby will be this close with her uncle once she enters her teenage years.

"You should talk to him." Lucy tells him.

"I...wish...I...could." James says, watching as Logan leaves the office. What should he do? He can't lose his best friend, but he also knows that he doesn't wanna talk to Logan if the guy doesn't wanna be talked to. He isn't about to force himself on anyone, you know? Gosh, what is he gonna do?

"I'll be happy to have a little talk with him myself." Lucy informs him. "He's just being stubborn, you know?"

"I can handle him." James says, limping toward Logan. He sees the way his friend tenses up, trying to walk away. James won't have none of that, though. Making sure that he doesn't fall, he reaches out to grab Logan, preventing the obviously flustered guy from taking another step. He can tell that Logan has no interest in talking to him, but he's not gonna stop until they've had a _calm_ conversation.

"Let go of me." Logan murmurs.

"You're...not...going...anywhere...until...we...talk." James says sternly. Logan clenches his jaw, following James down the hall to the music room. James doesn't let it bother him, though, because he's hoping that the end of their silly fight is almost here. It really sucks being ignored by someone you care about.

"Can I please go to class?" Logan asks impatiently.

"Not...until...you...talk...to...me." James informs him. This isn't going well. James can tell because Logan's expression hasn't softened since they got in here. Is there anything he could possibly say to fix this? Anything at all? It's just hard to know for sure because Logan looks so incredibly angry at him.

"You know how it made me feel when you said those things?" Logan finally says. "It hurt, especially since it came from someone that's suppose to be my friend. I thought I could trust you, James, but I obviously can't!"

James can't believe that he's hearing this. Okay, maybe he deserves this, but it still hurts! Logan can still trust him! So he screwed up! Who hasn't said something they ended up regretting later? Can't Logan accept that no one's perfect? That everyone messes up, but deserves forgiveness? If he weren't so stubborn, he could forgive James.

"Will..you...please...let...it...go?" James groans. Logan crosses his arms, turning the other cheek. Well, he's not gonna go anywhere until he and James make up. James refuses to sit on his rear end and allow Logan to stay mad at him all because of a silly argument. He gets that he said some really hurtful stuff, but...why hold a grudge? It's been days!

"Why should I?" Logan says quietly.

"Because...I...didn't...mean...what...I...said." James gently explains. "Logan, I...really...didn't...I... was...just...mad...and...I...took...it...out...on...you...I...mean...do...you...really...think...that...I... meant...to...hurt...you...like...that...Please, I...I just...want...us to be...friends again."

Alright, he said what he needed to say. Now it's up to Logan to decide whether he wants to repair their friendship because James has done all he can do.

"This whole fight was stupid." Logan admits. "We got like this because of some girl. Neither one of us got along with her anyway. When I broke up with her, it was because we were always fighting and you dumped her for the same reason. Why did we make such a big deal out of her moving here?"

"Maybe..." James hesitates. He's still been seeing a speech therapist and he hasn't completely mastered the "art" of verbal communication. "I think...it was...just some...weird...guy thing."

Did Logan just smile? He did! For the first time in days, he actually smiled at something that _James _said. That's a good sign, isn't it? Maybe their relationship isn't completely doomed.

"Logie?"

"Gabriella, you weren't suppose to leave the office." Logan says sternly. Gabby crawls onto James's lap and looks back and forth between her uncle and his best friend. She's only six (almost seven), but she's fully aware that James and Logan have been fighting. Considering how much she loves both of them, she probably can't stand that.

"Are you and Jay gonna make up?" She asks him.

"Um," Logan says, looking at James. "Yeah, baby, we are."

That's exactly what James wanted to hear. At least he no longer has to worry about losing his best friend.

* * *

Jo and Camille watch Julia from a distance, glaring. After the incident with James and Logan, Lucy has backed off of the girl, but Jo and Camille haven't. They still desperately wanna put this girl in her place. Right now, she is all over Jo's boyfriend, which deeply aggravates the blonde haired actress.

"What a slut." Camille snarls.

"You got that right." Jo murmurs, keeping her eyes on Julia and Kendall. Ugh, Julia is pathetic. The way she's giggling and twisting strands of red hair around her finger...it screams backstabbing wench. Jo normally isn't a very judgmental person, but she can't help disliking Julia. The girl acts so sweet around the guys, then she'll change once they're not around. She's just catty and mean!

"Should we have a little talk with her?" Camille questions thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah..." Jo replies as Kendall enters the gym. She almost wonders if she should just let this go, but she doesn't want to. She's not a mean girl, but she just can't stand seeing a certain red headed devil child flirting with her man. What's sick is that Julia is one hundred percent aware that Kendall and Jo are a couple!

"Julia!" Camille calls out.

"I've got pepper spray!" Julia says immediately.

"Don't be so paranoid." Jo answers, keeping a hardened face. Like Lucy and Camille, she gets a strange feeling of pleasure at seeing this chick squirm. It's strangely satisfying to know that she's actually afraid of them. That's what she gets for being a closeted slut. You know, acts sweet when she's really a pathetic man stealer.

"We're not gonna lecture you about James and Logan since they're probably done with you anyway, but we are gonna talk to you about Kendall." Camille says coolly.

"Yeah." Jo agrees. "He's my boyfriend, okay? Don't go thinking that you have the right to waltz in and break us up. We know _exactly _what you're up to and we're not gonna let you get away with it. I mean, if you think that we're gonna let you interfere with our relationships, you're sadly mistaken."

"Wow, you're almost as obnoxious in real life as you were on that stupid TV show." Julia smirks. Jo nearly lunches at her, but it's a good thing that Camille is there to hold her back. For her information, New Town High was actually very successful in it's earlier days, but the last few episodes just fell a little short. Big whoop!

"Obnoxious? You're calling me obnoxious? I'm not the one hitting on someone else's boyfriend!" Jo snaps.

"You sure? Because I read an article on TMZ about you." Julia answers. "You were supposedly flirting with Austin Butler, even though he's dating Vanessa Hudgens. I'm sure she didn't appreciate that and, quite honestly, I don't think he liked it either. I saw the picture of you guys and he didn't look too thrilled."

Jo is fuming now. Like, she actually feels steam coming out of her ears. Can she strangle this chick without the risk of being put in prison? Because she would really like to. All she wants is to punch this girl's lights out and beat her into the pulp. She doesn't really care about her "good girl reputation" right now. All she knows is that someone needs to do something about Julia Friedman.

"Oh, and Camille?"

"What, Julia?" Camille growls.

"Why do you like Logan anyway? He has that annoying brat to raise!"

"Don't you dare talk about him and Gabby like that!" Camille yells. Out of nowhere, she slaps Julia across the face. The pretty red head looks horrified, to Jo's amusement. Of course, maybe they're sinking to Julia's level by fighting her...nope, this is too funny to even be concerned about! Someone needs to teach Julia how things work around here. Who else better to do that than Camille?

"You're gonna wish you had never done that." Julia says darkly, shooting both of them a threatening look before leaving. Jo's smile slowly fades, but Camille's mood doesn't change. It's just that it _sounded _like Julia just threatened them. Would she act on her threat? Is she even more evil than they originally thought?

"Hey, you alright?" Camille asks her.

"Yeah," She gulps. "I'm fine."

"Well, I'm gonna get to class!" Camille chirps. "I'll call you later!"

"Yeah," Jo nods. "You do that."

What have they gotten themselves into?

* * *

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	32. Unexpected

Now that Logan has forgiven James, he's thinking more clearly about what his friend said. Maybe he doesn't visit Kelsey's grave as often as he should. It's just that he'd prefer to avoid letting himself be reminded that she's dead. Anyway, he doesn't have time to sit in front of her grave. He has work, school, college applications, and more important, Gabby. Kelsey would want him to put her before anything else.

He decided to make time for a visit tonight, though. James and his mom agreed to stay with Gabby while he went out for a while. He feels his heart breaking all over again, but he's surprised that he hasn't broke down. Truthfully, he feels closer to Kelsey when he's near her grave.

Kelsey was a wonderful mom. Before she became pregnant, she was one of those immature, party animal types, but the minute she discovered that she was gonna be a mother, she changed for the better. She was determined to be the best mom that she could be. Who knew that Gabby would only have her mom for six years?

"You shouldn't have left us." He whispers. "I know it's not your fault, but you should still be here. I love Gabby and I'm taking good care of her, but she deserves to have her mom. Now that you're gone, I'm all she has."

"That's not true, you know."

Logan looks up as Camille appears next to him. She kneels beside him and kisses his cheek, giving him a hug. He rests his head on her shoulder and stares at the granite tombstone, while Camille holds him. He feels ashamed that she ever saw him cry, but it won't be happening again. He's not gonna allow her to see him cry like a baby anymore.

"She has Kendall, Carlos, Mama Knight, Katie, James, Mrs. Diamond, Lucy, Jo, and me." She tells him, letting him go. He supposes that she has a point. He doesn't know if he could do this without their help. What would he do if he didn't have Mama Knight to babysit? Or Kendall, James, and Carlos to come over and play with her while he did homework? Or Camille and Lucy to entertain her at work?

"You're smarter than you look." He chuckles.

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"I'm kidding."

"Oh."

Logan sighs as he returns his attention to his sister's grave. He has a hard time accepting that the man that caused her death is the cousin of his best friend. He definitely doesn't blame James for Kelsey's death, but it really hurts knowing that someone related to him caused Gabby to lose her mom.

"You're doing great." Camille says, reaching for his hand. "Gabby has the best uncle in the whole world."

"I was thinking about adopting her, but I'm not sure if I should do it." Logan tells her.

"I think that would be a great idea." Camille smiles, wrapping her arms around him again. He returns the gesture, the wind lightly blowing against their faces. If there's anyone that get him to be honest with himself, it's Camille. When Kelsey first died and he tried to pretend he was perfectly fine, the guys didn't know what to do, but Camille did. She got him alone and made him admit that he was really hurting inside.

"Hey, have you ever loved someone but been afraid to admit it?" He asks her.

"I think everyone has felt that way." Camille says, her smile fading. "Why? You don't love Julia, do you?"

"No way." Logan says, bringing his face closer to hers. He doesn't usually do things on impulse, but sometimes he feels like it. Now is one of those times. Without thinking about the consequences, he kisses her, surprised when she doesn't pull away.

"Logan..." She murmurs when he finally pulls away.

"I...I've gotta go!" Logan says, getting up as fast as he can. He doesn't give her a chance to speak before he rushes to his car. What did he just do?!

Once he has backed out of the parking space, he whips out his phone and starts frantically dialing Kendall's number, desperate for some advice. He cannot believe that he just kissed Camille. How could he do that? She'll probably never speak to him again. He's gonna have to avoid her because he's so embarrassed.

He's just about to press the talk button when he hears a car horn. He looks up to see bright lights, followed by more honking...and crunching metal, followed by darkness.

* * *

"Speech therapy really seems to be working." Lucy says as she and James sit alone in the dark convenience store. James was at Logan's apartment, babysitting Gabby with Kendall and Carlos, but Lucy stopped by and practically begged him to hang out with her. He plans on going back to the apartment soon, though.

"Yeah...it really...is." He agrees.

"I guess we should be getting back to Logan's apartment." Lucy says, reaching for his hand. Just as they are about to head for the exit, James's phone starts ringing. He groans as he looks at the caller ID, frowning. Kendall? He hopes that Gabby's not hurt. That's probably not the case, though. Chances are, Kendall's calling him to yell at him for being gone too long.

"Hello?"

"J-James, it's Carlos. I'm using Kendall's phone."

"What's...wrong?" James asks when he notices the tearfulness in Carlos's voice.

"It's Logan." Carlos whimpers. "We just got a call from Camille saying that he was in a car accident. We're on our way to the hospital right now."

James gasps quietly, tightening his grip around Lucy's hand. Then he finds himself dragging her out the door, but not before allowing her to lock up the store for the night.

"We'll...be right there!" He says before hanging up. He doesn't care about responding to Lucy's questions about what's going on. All he cares about is getting to the hospital and finding out that his friend is okay. Logan was in a car accident, which is what killed his sister. What if he's gonna experience the same fate as her? But he can't die at seventeen!

"James, what the hell is going on?!" Lucy yells once they're both in her car.

"Logan...he was...in a car accident." He says weakly. Lucy doesn't say a word, starting the car and backing out of the parking space. James hates to say this, but all he can do is picture what life without Logan might be like...and imagining himself visiting his friend's grave. The thought makes him sick. No, Logan can't die.

* * *

"Who was the driver?" Carlos whimpers.

"I don't know." Camille says, wiping her eyes. "The jerk drove off without even bothering to see if Logan was okay."

"How bad was the accident?" Kendall whispers.

"It was awful." Camille says, starting to cry. "The guy T-boned his car on the driver's side and there was metal and glass everywhere. And Logan...he looked like he was barely alive. The paramedics said that he had a pulse and that he was breathing, but just barely. It was the most horrible thing that I've ever seen."

Kendall tears up a bit himself, relieved that James's mom agreed to take Gabby to get a snack in the cafeteria. He doesn't want her to hear a description of her uncle's accident. Heck, he doesn't even wanna hear it, but Gabby is just a little girl. She's too young, you know? Kendall just prays that Logan will be around to raise her. She already lost her mom. She can't lose the only caretaker she has left.

"Is he okay?!" Lucy asks as she and James rush into the waiting room.

"The doctor will let us know soon." Camille murmurs. Kendall looks at James, who basically looks like a nervous wreck. They've known Logan for years, yet James has probably become closer to him than anyone else. Logan was the first friend he made when he moved here, so it's no wonder!

"Where's Gabby?" He asks calmly.

"Your mom took her to the cafeteria." Camille says, wiping her eyes. Lucy gently grabs James and leads him over to a chair, making him sit down. Kendall reaches out to give the boy a hug, praying for Logan's survival. According to Camille, it was a pretty nasty wreck. The car crashed into Logan and caused him to roll over three times before landing upright.

"Logan Mitchell?" That's Doctor Rivera, Logan's doctor.

"Is he okay?" Carlos asks in a panic.

"He's gonna make it, but he's still pretty banged up." Doctor Rivera explains. "He has some severe cuts and bruises, a broken left leg, a broken right arm, and several broken ribs. He's got a long recovery ahead of him."

Kendall shakes his head. Why didn't the other driver not pay more attention? Anyone that hurts Logan is someone that Kendall would love to beat into a pulp. Heck, he'll beat up anyone that messes with any of his loved ones. He wonders where the other driver is by now, but that person sure isn't here at the hospital with the teenager he almost killed.

"Is he conscious?" Kendall asks.

"Yeah, but we gave him some morphine, so he's kind of drowsy." Doctor Rivera says as he leads them down the hallway. Kendall stays close to James and Carlos, fearing that he might throw a fit if he didn't. He's pretty good at staying calm under pressure, but he also has anger problems, which really flare up when someone he cares about is messed with.

"He's right here." Doctor Rivera says as they approach a door. "You can visit him if you'd like."

Kendall nods and takes a deep breath, watching as Lucy reaches out and pushes the door open, finally gaining access to their injured, but still living, friend.

* * *

**I hope this chapter was dramatic enough and not too rushed:) I wanted the situation with Logan's surprising accident to be dramatic, but not overly severe:/ I'm not about to kill Logiebear off because I love him way too much to do that:P**

**Review! :D**


	33. The Truth About Her

"You do know that you shouldn't use your cell phone when you're driving, right?" Kendall says, crossing his arms.

Logan sighs as he looks up at the ceiling. He doesn't need people's lectures right now. His whole body is aching and the last thing he needs is a lecture. All he wants is for people to be there for him instead of trying to make him feel stupid. He knows that he shouldn't have had his cell phone out, but he was freaking out and he didn't know what else to do.

"Yeah, that was pretty reckless." Lucy agrees.

"Oh, like you've never done anything reckless." Logan says flatly, his eyes drooping a bit. He knows that people are gonna criticize him, but he doesn't wanna hear it.. He knows that he had a lapse in judgement, but he doesn't need anyone giving him trouble because of a mistake. Besides, shouldn't they only be concerned right now? You know, instead of acting like they're mad at him.

"Guys, leave him alone." Camille says, sitting on the edge of his bed. "He doesn't need this right now."

_Thank you, Camille._

He knows that they're gonna have to talk about that kiss, but it was so awkward. He doesn't know if they should discuss that right now. He really likes Camille, but that doesn't mean that he wants to weird their relationship out by asking her out. He doesn't even know why he mentioned being romantically interested in her. That might have been enough to ruin their friendship.

"Hey, where's Gabby?" He questions.

"My mom...took her...to the...cafeteria." James says. He's obviously still having some trouble with his speech, but at least he's getting the words out. Anyway, back to Gabby. He wonders what she thinks about this situation. He's thanking God that the accident didn't kill him. Gabby needs a parental figure in her life and he's the closest family member that she has.

"Look, I don't want you guys to lecture me, okay?" He explains calmly. "I know that I wasn't paying attention, but I don't need people making me feel stupid. Okay? I'm sorry, but I really don't need that right now."

And he really doesn't! He's already stressed and exhausted, so why in the world would anyone wanna make it worse? All he wants is to rest, recover, and see his niece. He's truly grateful that he can still be here with her, even though he's a bit banged up. A few cuts, bruises, and broken bones is better than being dead.

"Well, it may be possible that Julia did this." Camille mutters awkwardly.

"Why would Julia do that? There's no way!" Kendall replies. James nods in agreement. Logan looks at Camille doubtfully. Why would she think that Julia would hurt him? He knows Julia and she's not the type to do something this crazy. Chances are, it was just a stupid hit and run car accident. But he highly doubts that Julia would ever go this far.

"Look, she threatened me and Jo the other day!" Camille argues. "I may have slapped her and she was all "Oh, you're gonna wish you had never done that"."

Logan doesn't know what to think about her accusations. Yeah, it's possible that Julia said that, but why? He doesn't understand why she would say that. When he was dating her, she never seemed like the type to threaten someone. He really can't see her threatening someone and he especially can't see her acting out on a threat.

"Cam, I don't think that she would do that." He says calmly.

"Oh yeah, she would!" Lucy disagrees, storming into the room. "She acts sweet for some people and a jerk to others. She flipped me off the other day, threatened to punch Jo, and called Camille a crazy...you know, B word."

Logan frowns. Lucy sounds serious, but he still doesn't know if this is true. Maybe they misunderstood, you know? Julia was probably joking! She always did have a sense of humor and she liked to joke around a lot.

"You wanna hear some audio of this skank throwing a tantrum?" Lucy says, raising her eyebrows slightly. "It was your day off, she walked in, and we got into a tiny argument."

"Um, well-"

Lucy smirks as she whips out her cell phone. Should they be scared? For all Logan knows, she might be pranking them by playing a video of that freaky Exorcist movie. She loves pulling that one. She'll tell someone that she's showing them a certain video, but she'll show them a scary Exorcist scene instead. One guy actually wetted his pants and ran away screaming.

_"Grow the hell up, Julia, and accept that you're being an asshole and that no one likes you!"_

_"At least I don't dress that a deranged stripper!"_

_"How does this make me look like a-"_

_"Look, if you don't stop, I will destroy you...and it won't be pretty."_

_Lucy tries to lunge across the counter to grab Julia, but Camille holds her back. Julia pretends to look bored, watching the girl she just infuriated. The heated exchange is getting the attention of other customers as well._

_"What are you gonna do to me? Huh, Julia! Do something! I dare you!"_

_ "I will rip out those fake hair extensions, shove them down your throat, and toss you into the nearest lake." Julia whispers darkly, getting in Lucy's face. "I will KILL you."_

Logan looks at the tiny screen in disbelief. Well, the proof is right in front of him. Julia does threaten people. That right there was a pretty harsh one too. Threatening to kill someone? If Lucy wanted to, she could file charges. That could be considered aggravated assault, even though Julia didn't actually touch anyone.

"She said that?" He murmurs.

"I'm telling you guys that she's pure evil!" Camille says desperately.

"Alright, who wants some redhead for dinner?" Carlos questions, grabbing a baseball bat from the corner. Someone must have left it in here. Logan's nurse said that she was gonna take it to lost and found later. The last person to stay in this room was kind of paranoid and wanted a baseball bat for self defense.

"Carlos..." Kendall mutters.

"LOGIE!"

"Hey, baby girl!" Logan says as Gabby enters the room. She climbs onto the bed and he wraps his good arm around her, kissing her cheek.

"Did you really almost die?" The little girl asks him.

"No, baby." Logan chuckles. "But I'm hurt pretty badly."

* * *

"Should we teach her a lesson?" Lucy whispers.

"We're not gonna beat her into a pulp!" Kendall says quietly.

"I'll do it!" Camille offers. Logan groans as he wakes up from a nap. It feels like the morphine wore off, so he doesn't feel as tired as he did when he first woke up. He could barely find the strength to acknowledge his friends when they were criticizing him for using his phone while driving. By the way, he'll never do that again.

"Oh, let's just bash her head!" Lucy argues. Logan rolls his eyes, looking at the sleeping girl next to him. It's a good thing that this is a Friday night because if it were a school night, she would definitely need to be at home right now. Anyway, he looks over at his friends and they appear to be arguing over what to do about Julia. He's still having a hard time believing that she threatened Camille and Jo, but Lucy's video showed that she is capable of doing such a thing.

"Guys." He yawns.

"Hey!" Camille agrees. "Feeling better?"

"Sore." Logan answers. "Now, what are you all talking about?"

"Julia." James says. Logan gives them a serious look. He knows that Julia might be a mean person, but they shouldn't be planning to deal with her themselves. What Lucy needs to do is take her video down to the police station, so they can possibly take Julia into custody or at least talk to her!

"Logan, you don't seriously think that she doesn't deserve to get a beating!" Lucy exclaims.

"She deserves to get in trouble, but there are two problems." Logan explains. "One, no one has any right to physically attack another person. Two, we have no proof that Julia is the one that caused my accident."

Now that he knows the truth about her, he wouldn't be surprised if she _did _do this, but he doesn't know for sure because there's simply no proof. If there was proof, he would believe it. Now, if some investigating could be done, that would be great, but it's not likely that they'll find anything. They can use Lucy's video to get the girl in trouble, though.

"Logie, I'm hungry again." Gabby whines.

"Jay, could you take her back down to the cafeteria?" Logan asks, kissing Gabby's cheek.

"Come on." James says, reaching for Gabby's hand. She gladly accepts, letting him lead her out of the hospital room. Logan looks up at the ceiling, thinking about everything that has happened. This was crazy, you know? He can't believe that he was in a car accident. It was probably one of the scariest moments of his life. Those bright lights, the screeching tires, and the screams from onlookers. It was absolutely horrible.

"Alright, back to Julia." Carlos says, swinging the metal baseball bat around. "Let's go and teach that skunkbag a lesson."

"You will do no such thing." Logan says sternly. Kendall takes the bat from Carlos and sits it back against the wall. No, there will be no violent reactions from them. They have to think of another way to make this girl sorry for all the trouble that she has caused.

"Well," Carlos hesitates. "We're gonna have to do something!"

"I know, Carlitos." Logan nods. "I know."

* * *

**Sorry for not updating yesterday! But here's your new chapter:) **

**I'll update Play With Fire tomorrow:)**

**Thanks for reviewing! :D**


	34. Questions

Stephanie doesn't pay much attention to her fellow peers, but she's been watching Julia very closely lately. She has seen how that witch treats everyone, then Logan got into that accident and Stephanie started wondering if Julia might have had something to do with it. She knows that it's none of her business, but it's not like she isn't interested in people. She just doesn't shove her nose in everyone's business. But this is different.

"Why are you watching Julia?"

She's surprised to see Carlos talking to her. His crowd, the popular crowd, doesn't usually talk to people like Stephanie. Carlos always did seem different than most of the popular guys, though. Being on the hockey team didn't turn him into a complete jerk. Guys like Jett Stetson are the ones that no one likes that much. They're feared, but they're not truly liked.

"I get bad vibes from that chick." She says, watching Julia flirt with Kendall. The funny thing is that she's doing it right in front of Jo! She doesn't care that his girlfriend is sitting right there. She's gonna end getting her rear end kicked one of these days. Maybe Stephanie can be the one to do it.

"Camille and Jo think that she was driving the car that crashed into Logan." Carlos tells her. She nods slowly. So Camille and Jo have the same suspicions that she has. Maybe they should get together and talk about how to get proof that Julia is a lying, scheming little monster. Her teachers and most of her fellow students love her, but she's not who she portrays to be.

"Someone needs to do something." She answers. "I think she's dangerous."

Carlos nods, while Stephanie watches Julia. There's just something really disturbing about the girl. If you pay really close attention, you can see something very unusual in those brown eyes. Something needs to be done before she causes anymore trouble. Stephanie already has a strong feeling that Julia nearly killed Logan.

"You wanna help me take this skank out." She smiles mischievously.

"I...you know, I think we should just find proof and turn her into the police." Carlos says hesitantly. Stephanie sighs, smirking as she exits the cafeteria. Okay, but she would rather pound the girl into a pulp first.

* * *

"B." Logan says, looking at Gabby's latest spelling test. "That's good."

"I wanted an A." Gabby whines. Logan puts the sheet of paper on the hospital bedside table, wrapping his arms around his niece. She's becoming a perfectionist just like him. Well, a B is perfectly good grade. He doesn't want her freaking out about grades like he has always done. He wants her to try her best, but stressing out is no good.

"You did great." He says, kissing her cheek. God, his arm still hurts. He wishes that he knew exactly who was driving that car. His friends seem to think that Julia did it and he's start to wonder the same thing. Lucy did show him that video. You know, where Julia threatened her. If the girl is capable of threatening to kill someone, then she's probably capable of purposely causing a car accident.

Knock! Knock!

"Hey, I was thinking that Gabby might like to come over to our house for a little while." Mama Knight tells him.

"That would be great." Logan answers. "Gabby, would you like to go to Mama Knight's house for a few hours?"

Gabby nods eagerly and Mama Knight helps her off the bed. Logan wishes that he could go too, but he's stuck in this stupid hospital. The staff is really nice, but that doesn't mean that he loves being here. If anything, he would rather be surfing in Hawaii. He could use a nice vacation away from all the drama.

"I think Kendall, James, Carlos, and the girls were gonna meet up." Mama Knight informs him.

"I hope they're not planning anything crazy." Logan replies. "Like, anything involving Julia and revenge."

"I'll make sure they stay out of trouble." Mama Knight assures him. "Don't stress about it."

Logan thanks her quietly, waving at Gabby. He sure hopes that his friends aren't planning anything crazy. Julia may have been the one that caused his accidents, but he doesn't want anyone else getting in trouble. Maybe there's a way that they can safety get evidence to turn into the local police. That way, Julia gets what she deserves and no one ends up injured or dead.

"Just relax, okay?" Mama Knight says, kissing his cheek.

"I'll try." He says, taking a deep breath. He watches as they leave the room together, leaving him all alone yet again. He has to stay here for five more days. He's only been here for two and he's already on the verge of losing his mind. No, he's not being a drama king. He actually feels like he's gonna go insane. He's still on morphine and he doesn't feel entirely sane.

He mutters under his breath, staring at the wall. He can't wait until he and Gabby can move to Duluth this summer. He sent in his application to University of Minnesota and he should be getting a response soon. He thinks that Gabby will like living in Duluth. It's a city by the water, certainly a bit bigger than Grand Marais.

He would rather be anywhere but here. Even school would be more appealing that a hospital room. Not only that, but he's ready to find out if the girl he thought he knew really isn't who she claims to be. He's really starting to wonder about Julia.

* * *

"So what are we gonna do?" Jo wonders as they all gather in Kendall's bedroom. "We all know that Julia is a liar."

"Maybe we need...to talk to...her mom." James suggests. "Her mom...knows...more than...we do. You know, about...her past."

The other seem to agree. Hey, it makes sense. For all they know, Julia might have a history of psychotic behavior. That could be used against her and it could prove that she's capable of dangerous things, like nearly killing someone. Of course, they also need to find out if she was driving the car that crashed into Logan.

"Do we even know where her mom lives?" Carlos frowns.

"Duluth." James answers. When he and Julia were dating, he spent quite a bit of time at her house. He always noticed that Julia's mom acted kind of strange around her daughter, but Julia was always really sweet to everyone, so he didn't think anything of it. Now, however, he's starting to wonder if that sweetness was an act.

"How do we know that her mom will tell us anything?" Lucy questions. "No one with any brains will tell a complete stranger their daughter's mental health history."

"All we have to do is explain what's going on." Stephanie insists. "It can't be that hard to get her to tell us something."

James hopes that Stephanie is right. If Julia is the one that almost killed his best friend, he's gonna be super pissed off. Julia is just a girl from the past, but Logan is his best friend. Julia can't be allowed to get away with threatening people either. She has caused nothing but trouble since she got here. Why? Did she have some sick revenge plan when she arrived? Was that why she came here? She could have stayed in Duluth with her dad if she wanted to.

"Yeah, hopefully." Camille says. "I mean, it's a confidentiality thing! If Julia has had any mental health issues in the past, her mom isn't gonna tell us! If we want to find out anything, we're gonna have to try really hard to get her mom to say anything regarding her mental health!"

"We'll talk to her after school tomorrow." Jo suggests. "But we can't make it obvious that we're...investigating."

James shrugs, while Lucy begins playing with his hair. They've sort of worked things out after their little incident recently, which is good. He doesn't like fighting with his friends and potential girlfriend. He says "potential girlfriend" because he and Lucy aren't really a couple, even though he wants them to be.

"Here's an idea." Katie says, standing in the doorway. "Why don't you just leave it alone? I know it's none of my business, but I don't think that Julia would purposely run into Logan with her car."

James shakes his head, thinking back on his relationship with Julia. His mom has always told him that Julia is probably her favorite out of his girlfriends, but it's not like she ever saw Julia when the girl was at her worst. She actually has quite a fiery temper and there were moments where James questioned her sanity.

"Katie, she threatened to kill me." Lucy says flatly.

James sighs, resting his head on Lucy's shoulder. He feels kind of tired and he's definitely not in a great mood. He would rather be asleep in his own bed, but Kendall insisted that they meet up and discuss their next move. Look, James is really confused about this whole thing. He and Logan both thought they knew Julia, but now there's all these questions about her sanity.

"Um..." Katie hesitates. "Never mind."

This just keeps getting weirder and weirder. He knew that Julia was a little temperamental, but he never thought that she was crazy. A lot of people can have high tempers, right? It's not like she has ever murdered anyone. At least he doesn't think so.

"Can I slap her again?" Camille asks hopefully. James can't help but chuckle at that. Yeah, he heard that Camille's hand made contact with Julia's face the other day. He wishes that someone had gotten it on video.

"No, there's not gonna be any slapping." Stephanie tells them. "But we are gonna make her pay for what she has done."

* * *

**The next chapter will be much better because they're gonna find out something big about Julia and maybe even confront her;D**

**Review! :D**


	35. When Good Girls Go Insane

**Well, I'm back to writing! I already explained to some of you exactly why I haven't updated in a few days, but I may not have told all of you. Last week, I checked into a treatment center to get help for depression/anxiety. I was feeling depressed and suicidal and I knew that I needed to get some serious treatment, so I did. I got out yesterday, I'm doing a lot better, and I'm ready to start writing again:)**

"So this is where the Friedmans live." Lucy nods. "Not bad."

They are looking at a lovely Victorian style home. The Friedmans must be pretty wealthy. Now, it's time to find out whether Julia is mentally ill or if she's just a big jerk. Her mom must know something about the girl that may or may not have injured Logan. She should also know to never let her daughter behind the wheel of a car ever again.

"Let's go." Stephanie says, walking to the front door. She presses the doorbell and they wait patiently for Ms. Friedman to answer. They aren't sure if she's married or not, but they think that she and her husband recently got a divorce. Maybe that's why their daughter has gone downhill.

"Coming!" Ms. Friedman calls out. Minutes later, the door opens and Ms. Friendman appears in the doorway, a curious look on her face. Camille crosses her arms and carefully eyes the science teacher, hoping that they can get some good info for her. Lucy brought a recorder, so they can secretly document her answers. You know, information that they can give to the police.

"Do you guys need something?" She asks.

"Yeah, we would actually like to talk to you about Julia." Camille says politely as they enter the house. It's very nicely decorated and it's hard to believe that someone like Julia could live in a place like this. It's a home for a classy family and Julia obviously has no class. Heck, there's a chance that she tried to kill Logan!

"What about her?" Ms. Friedman frowns as they enter the living room.

"Ms. Friedman, we don't mean to pry, but this is very important." Stephanie says as they sit down. "As you may have heard, Logan Mitchell was in a hit and run car accident the other day-"

"I know." Ms. Friedman replies sympathetically. "It breaks my heart to know that someone would hurt such a sweet boy."

"That's the thing." Kendall tells her. "We believe that Julia may have had something to do with it."

An awkward moment of silence follows. Ms. Friedman probably feels shocked that someone thinks her daughter did such a thing. Camille would feel the same way, but they have to accept that Julia is not as nice and innocent as she portrayed to be at first. Either she needs to be put in jail or a mental hospital.

"My Julia?" Ms. Friedman gasps. "There's no way!"

"Please cooperate." Carlos says calmly. "Does Julia have a history of mental illness?"

"Well..." Ms. Friedman hesitates. "Look, I shouldn't reveal my daughter's medical history to children!"

"Most of us are eighteen." Lucy answers flatly. Camille sighs heavily. Oh, Lucy and her attitude. That's one admirable thing about her. She sure as hell ain't afraid to speak her mind, even though it gets her in trouble sometimes. One time, she actually had the nerve to tell their sophomore year math teacher that her jeans made her look fat. She got a week of detention afterwards. That teacher also hates her now.

"Look, Julia was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder a few years ago, but she takes medication for it..." Ms. Friedman suddenly hesitates. She gets up and walks to the kitchen, returning with a bottle of pills. She opens the bottle and gasps, realizing that it's full of pills. So Julia actually _hasn't _been taking her medication.

"I...I could have sworn she had been taking it!" She says frantically.

"Mom? What are they doing here?"

"Julia!" Ms. Friedman says, hiding the pill bottle behind her back. Julia snickers, crossing her arms. She looks hardly as sweet as she did when she first transferred to their school. Not completely evil, but not nice either. She does look kind of intimidating, which is kind of funny because she has a really cute and innocent face.

"Julia, have you been taking your medication?" Ms. Friedman asks gently.

"Sure." Julia shrugs. "Your point?"

"Well, I checked and the bottle is completely full."

Julia looks less amused now. In fact, she looks pissed. Uh oh...here comes the angry part of her Bipolar Disorder. She does seem temperamental and now they know why. She has mood swings because she's Bipolar. Of course! But that's not excuse for what she probably did to Logan. If she loved him, she would never do anything to hurt him.

"What the hell?!" She yells, snatching the bottle. "Give me that!"

"Honey, you're not well." Ms. Friedman says carefully.

"I'm fine!" Julia laughs maniacally. She suddenly curses violently, throwing the pill bottle across the room. She walks down the hall and returns with gleaming metal...a handgun. She breathes heavily as she points it at them. They all gasp in horror, frozen in their place. Okay, does Bipolar Disorder cause people to act this crazy? Something tells Camille that there's something else wrong with this girl.

"Baby, please put the gun down." Ms. Friedman says calmly.

"Don't you dare tell me what to do." Julia's voice is shaky and so is the hand holding the weapon. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad. Camille wishes that she were at the hospital with Logan and Gabby right now. They should have let the police take care of it! The cops could have investigated! But no, they just had to take it into their own hands!

"You don't have to do this." Kendall tries to tell her.

"Shut up!" Julia yells.

"Look, we just have a question." Stephanie says gently. "Did you crash into Logan?"

Julia freezes up, her eyes filling with tears. Something inside her has snapped. Just when they think that she's gonna shoot at them, she nods weakly and raises the gun, pointing it at her own head. James is the first to act. He lunges at Julia and grabs her, yanking the gun out of her hand and throwing it across the room. She starts sobbing violently, trying to push James away. But he holds her in his arms.

"Call 911!" Ms. Friedman instructs. Kendall is the one to call for help, while everyone else watches Julia's tragic mental breakdown happen right in front of them.

* * *

"Mama Knight, why did we let Gabby listen to this song?" Logan watches as Gabby dances along to Carrie Underwood's "Two Black Cadillacs."

"It's not so bad." Mama Knight shrugs. "She loves it."

"But it's about a woman killing her cheating husband." Logan answers. Mama Knight shrugs just as Logan's cell phone rings. He grabs it with his good hand, looking at the caller ID. It's Kendall. He answers, waiting for Kendall to speak.

"Logan, Julia's on her way to the hospital!"

"What? Why?" Logan frowns.

"She's the one who ran into you!" Kendall rants. "And when we got her to confess, she pointed a gun at her head, but James stopped her and I called 911! Everyone's fine!"

Logan lays silently for a moment, while Gabby crawls onto the bed. Julia is really the one that almost killed him? She never seemed like that kind of person. She might have been a little moody, but she never seemed like she would be crazy enough to purposely hurt someone. He must have not known her as well as he thought.

"She was diagnosed with Bipolar a few years ago and she hasn't been taking her medication." Kendall explains. Logan takes a deep breath. This is a lot for him to take in. Julia is someone that he thought he knew really well, but he supposes that you can't know everything about everyone. He's definitely shocked to know that sweet Julia Friedman is mentally ill.

"She was totally freaking out." Kendall says sadly. They were all mad at her a few hours ago, but now they're sympathetic. Hey, it's not her fault that she has a mental illness, but it is her fault for not taking her medication like she was suppose to. If she had done that, she might not have ended up hurting Logan like she did.

"It's too bad." He sighs, playing with Gabby's hair. She's being so adorable, singing that Carrie Underwood song. She just might end up being a singer when she grows up. She's already got a good voice at only six years old. Speaking of age, he needs start planning her birthday party. She'll be seven in April.

"Yeah." Kendall agrees. "She basically went completely insane. Her mom says that she'll probably be put in a mental hospital until she's stable again. Who knows how long that'll be!"

Logan nods, thinking to himself. He's just trying to imagine what Julia's breakdown was like. He can imagine that it wasn't pretty and he's glad he wasn't there to witness it. Even though she may be a psychotic, unstable person, he still cares about her and he wants her to get better. When she's taking her medication, she's a pretty cool person.

"Logan? You there?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm here."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Logan insists.

"Well, I guess I'll talk to you later." Kendall says. "Take care, okay?"

"I will." Logan says before hanging up. He sighs and looks up at the ceiling. He can't believe that Julia is the reason that he's in the hospital. He also can't believe that she tried to take her own life. Even though she messed up, there's no reason to commit suicide. She just has to get some help and everything will be okay.

"Julia's on her way to the hospital." He says tiredly. "She had a breakdown and tried to kill herself."

"Why?" Gabby questions while Mama Knight frowns.

"I don't know, baby girl." He says softly, kissing her forehead. "I don't know."

* * *

**Review! :D**


	36. Say Hello To Goodbye

"We couldn't have gone to McDonald's?" Carlos whines as Kendall parks in front of Grand Marais Mental Hospital.

"I just wanna see how Julia's doing." Logan says as James helps him into his wheelchair. He has to use it until his arm heals, then he can start using crutches. Anyway, what Julia did was bad, but she has a mental illness. Mentally ill people can do some pretty crazy stuff. Of course, she should have been taking her meds like she was suppose to.

"Whatever." Kendall and Carlos mutter. James pushes Logan toward the entrance, really wishing he didn't have to be here. Seeing Julia have a mental breakdown really scared him. As crazy as she may be, he never wanted to see her attempt to take her own life. He's surprised that she's mentally ill because she appeared so stable when she first moved to Grand Marais. Of course, she obviously hides her instability well.

"Um, we're looking for Julia Friedman." Logan tells the receptionist. She tells them the unit that Julia is in and a young woman takes them there. The patients sitting in the TV area don't look super crazy, which is good. Julia is sitting by the window, staring outside. She looks so different than she did the last time he saw her. She looks...troubled. Who knew that Julia Friedman could be this disturbed?

"Just leave us alone for a bit." He tells James, who nods and pushes him over to the girl. She's dressed in sweatpants (no drawstrings, of course) and a Spongebob Squarepants T shirt. Her hair is messy and her eyes look dazed. She doesn't even seem to be aware of his presence. She must have more than just Bipolar Disorder because she doesn't seem to be all there.

"Julia? It's me, Logan." He says carefully. She finally snaps out of her thoughts, glancing at him. She still looks incredibly pretty, but not as flawless as she normally looks. Logan is upset that she tried to kill him, but he's not mad. She's obviously sick in the head, which isn't her fault. Unfortunately, her illness caused her to do something really stupid.

"I heard you were in here, so I wanted to check on you." He says, trying to sound as gentle as possible. She doesn't respond, just looking at him. He can't believe that this is the girl he dated just a few years ago. Even back then, he wasn't aware of her mental state. She never told him about her issues. Why?

"I was wondering why you never told me that you were sick." He tells her.

"It's embarrassing."

"Embarrassing?" Logan frowns, surprised. Why would she be embarrassed? It's not her fault! Sure, she should have taken her medication, but the illness itself isn't her fault. She shouldn't be embarrassed of something that isn't her fault.

"It's just...it's just embarrassing." Julia repeats. Logan is very confused. He doesn't understand why Julia is saying this. Being mentally ill isn't her fault at all. He's gotta get her to explain why she's saying such a thing...okay, Logan just realized something. Julia probably felt embarrassed that she doesn't have a normal brain like everyone else. Logan can understand that.

"Okay, I get it now." He murmurs. Julia nods and they both sit in awkward silence for a moment. She doesn't seem nearly as psychotic as she must have been before checking in, but Logan still senses some mental disturbance. He's pretty good at reading people, especially those whom he has known for a long time.

"I'm probably gonna be in here for a while." Julia tells him.

"I know." He replies. Well, after trying to kill her ex boyfriend and pointing a gun at her own head, it's no surprise that they wanna keep her in here for a while. Chances are, no one trusts her to be out in the regular world after doing all that. Logan knows that he doesn't. He's concerned about her, but he doesn't trust her.

"How long will you be in that wheelchair?"

"Probably a few weeks." Logan whispers. Why does she care? She's the one that did this! Maybe she wasn't aware of what she was doing when she got behind the wheel of that car, but she most likely did know. As bad as he feels about her illness, there is a small part of him that feels angry with her. How is he gonna care for Gabby while he's in this condition?

"Julia, it's time to take your meds." A nurse tells her.

"I guess I'll see you...some other time." Julia says, getting up. Logan shrugs, watching as she walks away from him. Minutes later, James is once again holding the handles of his wheelchair, taking him back out to the vehicle. He hopes that Julia will get her act together. She'll be much better off when she finally does.

* * *

"Kendall, you guys can't move in with us!" Logan argues.

"And why is that?" Kendall retorts as he pushes his friend's wheelchair, while Mama Knight, Katie, and Gabby follow them into the apartment. He doesn't care how Logan feels about this. He needs someone to help him out until he heals. He may not want to admit it, but that's too bad because Kendall and his family are staying with him and Gabby.

"Because you-"

"Damn, you need to clean this place up."

"Kathryn Knight!" Mama Knight scolds. Logan wishes that someone could have covered Gabby's ears. She doesn't need to hear words like that. She's still pretty impressionable and if she hears other people cursing, she might get the idea that it's okay. Well, it's certainly not okay. Heck, even Katie's too young to say stuff like that!

"Gabby, didn't I tell you to pick your toys up?" Logan says sternly. Gabby quickly rushes to put her things away when her uncle gives her a firm look. Most of the time, all he has to do is look at her and she does what she's told to do. He may be a senior in high school, but he's still her authority figure and she has to listen to him.

"I'll help you get things straightened up." Mama Knight says, kissing his cheek before she begins helping Gabby. While they do that, Logan focuses on how relieved he is to be home. He is worried about something, though. He's still hoping to get a college acceptance letter soon and if he does get one, he still has to look for a decent living arrangement, not to mention getting Gabby enrolled in her new school.

Bark! Bark!

"And here's Logie Jr." Logan says as the Shiz Tsu puppy comes to greet them. She jumps into Logan's lap and he pets her with his good hand. She barks again and Katie is eager to pick her up. That girl loves dogs and would probably get one of her own if Mama Knight would let her. Mama Knight feels that pets are too much responsibility. She has her waitress job and her kids have school, so who would care for the animal?

"She's precious." Katie coos, rubbing the dog's head. "It's too bad that she ever had to set foot in that other house."

Logan won't argue with that. He feels bad for anyone, human or not, that has to be anywhere near his parents. They're not easy to live with, you know. Logan's dad is an alcoholic and his mom is easily manipulated into being just as abusive as her husband, so that's no good for anyone that spends even a day in their household.

Bark! Bark!

"Shhh!" Logan scolds. "You'll disturb the neighbors."

"I'll play with you!" Katie says in a baby voice, carrying "Logie Jr." into another room. The only person she's that sweet around is James. She still has a huge crush on the guy, so it's probably a good thing that he's not here right now. Imagine Katie in a room with an adorable puppy and the guy she's obsessed with. That just spells trouble.

"Let's get you settled in, buddy." Kendall says, pushing him toward the living room.

"I'm not a child, Kendork."

"As of right now, I can do whatever I want and that includes treating you like a child. And don't call me Kendork!"

"I can do whatever I want and that includes calling you Kendork."

"You suck, man."

"Whatever, dude." Logan answers. "Whatever."

* * *

"How was Julia?" Mama Knight asks him.

"Okay, I guess." Logan shrugs, staring at the TV. It's after ten, Gabby's asleep, Katie's asleep, and the rest of them are relaxing in the living room. Logan had actually forgotten about Julia until Mama Knight mentioned her. Now all his concern/anger toward his former girlfriend is back. Ugh, why?

"Did she seem stable?" Kendall wonders. "She wasn't acting very stable when we went to her house."

Logan shrugs again, trying to put Julia out of his mind. He doesn't really know what to think about her. He feels bad for her, yet he's also angry about what she did to him. Is her mind really so screwed that she attempted to commit vehicular manslaughter? Man, that girl has really managed to shock him since she moved here. Threatening Lucy, threatening Jo and Camille, slapping Camille, nearly killing Logan...it's truly unbelievable.

"Obviously." He grumbles.

Riiiing!

"I'll get it." Mama Knight says, rushing to grab the phone. "Hello? Shauna, is everything alright? Oh my god...she didn't! How did she manage to kill herself? She's in a mental hospital!"

Logan and Kendall's heads both snap up when they hear "kill herself" and "mental hospital." Mama Knight speaks to Julia's mom a little longer, then she hangs up, tears filling her eyes. Logan shakes his head, already knowing what she's gonna say.

"Julia's dead." She says tearfully. "Apparently, she somehow managed to hang herself in her room."

Logan doesn't know why he doesn't start crying after hearing that, even though it breaks his heart. Maybe he has just cried all the tears he can. However, he can feel his heart shattering all over again. A girl that was once very special to him is gone. He just can't believe it. Why does this keep happening?

* * *

**Yeah, I decided to kill Julia off:'( I feel bad, but I also don't want the story to become boring:/**

RIP Julia:'( You were mean and crazy, but we'll miss you

**Review! :D**


	37. When You Don't Understand

James didn't really care to see Julia after she hurt Logan so badly, but Logan wanted to go and he obviously can't maneuver his own wheelchair yet. James basically had no choice but to suck it up and enter the mental hospital. Who knew that she would be dead a few hours later? She was crazy, but she didn't have to die. He can't believe that he's standing in the middle of his living room, listening to Mama Knight telling him that Julia took her own life.

"She's really dead?" He questions softly.

"I'm sorry, honey." Mama Knight says, giving him a gentle hug. He's sorry too. He knows that Julia has treated them all like dirt lately, but she was gonna get help. Then she could have gotten out of the mental hospital, went home, and lived a happy life. Instead, she chose death. She would rather end her miserable life than change it.

"Jay, why don't you go over to Logan's apartment?" Brooke suggests. James nods, reluctantly following Mama Knight out the door. He doesn't feel like crying over Julia, but he really does feel hurt that she committed suicide. No one in their right mind would end their own life. If Julia had the guts to kill herself, then she was crazier than anyone thought.

"How did she-"

"She hung herself." Mama Knight answers. James gulps and follows her into the apartment, where Logan, Gabby, Kendall, and Carlos are sitting in the living room. They're all silent except for Gabby, who is blabbering on about the upcoming episodes of Fairly Oddparents. If they could only be as carefree as her.

"We should have done something." Logan says. "We should have helped her."

"I almost made out with her." Kendall announces. "Does that count as helping? Oh, and she came onto me. I had no interest in her at all."

"That's the problem, though." Logan adds. "We didn't express enough interest in her. Maybe she would still be alive if we treated her more like a friend, rather than an enemy. I mean, that might have saved her."

James shakes his head. He disagrees. Julia was mentally ill, something that even friendship can't fix. Why is Logan blaming himself for her death? He had no idea that she was gonna go and do something so stupid. They can't blame themselves for Julia's mistakes. James may not be the smartest person in the world, but he knows that they can't do that.

"Boys, it's not your fault." Mama Knight tells them. "You didn't know."

James definitely agrees with that.

The three boys on the couch shrug, not seeming too convinced. James wonders if the girls know about Julia's death and if so, what do they think about it? He knows that Lucy, Camille, Jo, and Stephanie hated the girl, but they can't possibly not feel bad that she's dead. No matter how awful Julia could be, she was pretty much innocent and she didn't deserve to die.

"I'll go to the flower shop tomorrow and get some flowers for her family." Mama Knight tells them. Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. James knows that her family is having a hard time right now.

* * *

**"Breaking news: A seventeen year old girl has committed suicide while institutionalized at the Grand Marais Mental Hospital!"**

Camille was drinking a Coke, but she does a major spit take when the reporter speaks. They couldn't be talking about Julia, could they? If they are, Camille is gonna feel completely horrified, even though Julia was a psychotic little skunkbag. She was obviously very disturbed, but she could have gotten help. Who knows? Maybe they're not even talking about her!

**"Julia Friedman was found dead after hanging herself-"**

"What the-" Lucy stammers. Camille stares at the TV screen in disbelief as a picture of Julia is shown. The reporter goes on to discuss Julia's recent troubles, including the incident where she injured Logan in that car accident. She's dead? Really, she may have been a tough person to deal with, but Camille wouldn't wish death on anyone.

"She's dead?" Camille questions softly.

"Wow." Lucy says, shaking her head. Camille turns the TV off and grabs her cell phone, deciding to call him and find out if he has heard the news. She hopes that someone has told him because she really doesn't want the responsibility of telling him herself. He's injured because of Julia, but sometimes Camille feels paranoid that he might still have some feelings for his ex girlfriend.

"Hello?"

"Logan, did you hear about Julia?"

"Yeah...yeah, I did."

Camille breathes a sigh of relief. Now, here's another question. Why doesn't he sound more emotional? He sounds shocked and maybe a little sad, but not emotional like some people would be if an important person from their past committed suicide. Camille feels like she might cry and she didn't even like Julia.

"How are you doing?" She asks him.

"Okay, I guess." Logan answers. "But I feel like we could have done something to stop this from happening. Maybe she already felt unloved and we all made it worse by treating her like an enemy instead of a friend. We could have asked her to eat lunch with us or something."

"Logan, don't-"

She stops speaking up, taking another deep breath. She doesn't know what to think. On second thought, she does know! Logan can't possibly think that they could have stopped Julia from committing suicide. They had no idea that she had any mental illness at all. Besides, she treated them all terribly, so they didn't want her at their table.

"Logan, that's ridiculous."

"Look, I've gotta go."

"Logan-"

Well, he hung up. Camille glances at Lucy, who is busy sending a text to Jo and Stephanie. They have gladly welcomed Stephanie into their group of friends and it seems to have been a good thing. Now she can have more positive people around her. Anyway, back to the real problem. Camille refuses to blame herself for Julia's problems.

"Ding dong, the witch is dead." Lucy sings. Camille scoffs and slaps the girl's shoulder, giving her an exasperated look. That girl may be eighteen, but she has the brain of a fourteen year old. Now is not the time for that! Oh, Camille needs to buy a condolence gift for the poor girl's family. They must be terribly heartbroken.

"What? It was a joke!" Lucy exclaims.

"Not funny!"

* * *

"This is her fault." Carlos mutters. "If she had taken her meds, she would be fine."

"Carlos, she was on meds when she died." Kendall corrects him.

Logan is sitting by Gabby's bedside while she sleeps, but he can easily hear the conversation happening in the living room. He's having a real hard time figuring this whole thing out. He wonders if Julia left a note. He saw some patients with pencils and paper when he visited earlier. If she wanted to, she could have left a note. They all deserve an explanation, but there's no guarantee that they'll get one.

"Logie?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Why is everyone acting so weird?"

Logan sighs, running his fingers through Gabby's hair. How can he explain this to her? At six years old (almost seven), she can't possibly understand suicide. She probably doesn't even know what suicide is. He knows that he has to give her an explanation, but he needs to do it in a way that she can understand. You know, something appropriate to her age group.

"You remember Julia? Logie's old girlfriend?" He asks her. She nods, while he gently takes her hand in his. "Well, she is no longer with us."

"Why? Where did she go?"

"Um, she went to..." He doesn't know if he should say heaven. Considering that she committed suicide, it's possible that she went somewhere else. That's what his grandparents always told him. They believed that you will go to hell if you commit suicide. He doesn't want that to apply to Julia because she doesn't deserve to be in such a horrible place. She wasn't a terrible person.

"Heaven?"

"Y-yeah." He says awkwardly. "And she went because she took her own life. She was hurting and I guess that she couldn't take it anymore, so she decided to put her life to an end. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Gabby nods sadly. Logan lets go of her hand, his heart aching. He wants Gabby to know that nothing is ever so bad that you need to kill yourself. Everyone he knows says that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Even if the world seems to be falling apart, it can get better, but you have to believe that it will. He supposes that Julia decided to drown in her own misery.

"Baby, I wanna tell you something." He says calmly. "What Julia did is called suicide and it's a very bad thing. Some people believe that life isn't worth living anymore, so they end it. It should never get to that point. No matter how hard life may get, it's never worth committing suicide. It will get better."

Gabby nods again and Logan gives her hand a gentle squeeze, since he can't bend over to give her a kiss due to his injuries. That's another thing that really sucks. He's gonna have these injuries to constantly remind him of Julia. After all, she's the one that gave him these injuries. He can't wait until he finally becomes healed.

"Why was Julia sad?" Gabby asks him.

"I don't really know, baby." He tells her. "She was mentally ill, though. Sometimes that can cause a lot of emotional pain."

"I hope she feels better now."

Logan nods in agreement, looking out the window. He hopes so too. She took her own life because she wanted to put an end to her suffering and he hopes that she got what she wanted, but what she did was very selfish. Even if her pain is over, she has hurt her loved ones. She has family and friends that are gonna live with this for the rest of their lives. How could she do this to them?

* * *

**Although I'm incredibly proud of this whole chapter, I must pick the last scene with Logan and Gabby as my favorite part:)**

**Review! :D**


	38. Preparing For A Sad Day

"I feel like a horrible person." Jo says as she and her friends wait for Mr. Schneider to arrive. Logan has returned to school and they're anxiously awaiting Julia's funeral. It's suppose to be on Saturday and none of them are looking forward to it. Julia wasn't a nice person, but she had a good excuse. She was mentally disturbed. If they had known the truth, they would have gone a little easy on her. Jo would have even been willing to befriend her.

"Jo, just forget about it." Lucy says tiredly. Jo sighs as she lays her head down on her desk. She hasn't stopped thinking about what happened. Julia bullying them, pointing that gun at her own head, being taken away in an ambulance, being admitted to the mental hospital, her tragic suicide...it's so unbelievable, but so real.

"Hello, students!" Mr. Schneider says enthusiastically, entering the classroom with a briefcase full of teaching supplies. He was just as shocked as they were when he learned of Julia's death. Believe it or not, she was always respectful to her teachers. She, like her peers, adored Mr. Schneider. He makes science fun.

The students murmur "Hello, Mr. Schneider" and the young teacher gives them an understanding look as he begins removing some papers from his briefcase. Jo glances at Kendall, who is in the middle of passing a note to Logan. You know, she has come to an important decision, but she doesn't know how Kendall will take it. She has decided that she's gonna move back to LA after graduation.

"Let's talk about something fun," Mr. Schneider suggests. "Like science."

Normally, the class would reply with joking groans, but they stay silent today. Everyone feels bad about Julia's sudden death, even those who never spoke to her. Jo knows that she can't seem to get over it. She doesn't like how Julia treated her and her friends, but that doesn't mean that she wanted the girl to die.

"Can we go to Dairy Queen after school?" Carlos asks. They all ignore him as their teacher begins his lesson. Jo isn't exactly interested in doing schoolwork right now, but she has no choice. Besides, she'll do anything to get her mind off of everything that has happened lately.

* * *

"Gabby, honey, are you alright?" Miss Morgan asks the young girl. Gabby replies with a nod, although she's really not okay. She may be just as child, but she's certainly not dumb. As her uncle was explaining Julia's death to her, she understood. She has decided that she'll never become depressed because it causes you to commit...suicide? Isn't that what Logan called it?

"You can tell me the truth." Miss Morgan says, sitting in front of her on the floor.

"Well," Gabby hesitates. "Logie's friend died. He said that she killed herself."

She continues working on her Spongebob coloring page, not having any interest in discussing this anymore. She likes spending time with her uncle and talking about happy things like cute animals. She doesn't even understand why everyone is so sad. She just feels bad that her Logie is upset. She gave him a hug and kiss this morning. She thought that would make him feel better.

"Hi, I'm here to pick Gabby up."

"You are-"

"James Diamond." James says slowly. Gabby is aware that he's still adjusting to his...whatever the thing is that the doctors gave him for his hearing problem. Logan told her that he's still getting use to being able to talk. Well, at least he can actually talk!

"Gab, come on!" He says, reaching for her hand. Gabby eagerly grabs her unfinished coloring sheet and follows him out the door, waving to Miss Morgan. Kendall is in the driver's seat, patiently waiting for them. Gabby crawls into the backseat and James fastens her seatbelt before getting in the front passenger's seat.

"Where's Logie?" She asks them.

"He decided to stay at home." Kendall tells her. "I think he and Mama Knight are gonna bake some cookies."

"Yay!" Gabby cheers. The two boys in the front seats chuckle at her excitement. She loves cookies! Sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, dark chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread, and all that good stuff! She wonders if Logie Jr (the puppy) would like a cookie. Logan said that doggies shouldn't eat chocolate, though.

"Your puppy also made a mess on the kitchen floor." Kendall smirks. Gabby scrunches up her face, cringing. Logie Jr. doesn't usually do that. She has been trained to use a litter box just like a kitty. Since she's little, it's okay. Logan said that he's glad that she's a small dog because he couldn't handle a large dog.

"Gross." She mumbles.

"Yeah, but it happens." James says, turning around and ruffling her hair. She giggles and pushes his hand away, smiling. She really loves her uncles.

* * *

"Gabby, would you like to wear this dress to Julia's funeral?" Logan asks, showing his niece a pink dress with a black lace button up jacket. The little girl nods and Logan hands the dress to Jo, who hangs it back up in the closet. "Logie Jr." comes running into the room, barking and pawing at Gabby's leg, obviously excited that her owner is back.

"Hey, go back to the living room." Logan says firmly, giving the dog a look. She lays down, whimpering. Logan sighs and looks at Gabby with a pleading look, relieved when she picks their pet up and takes her out of the bedroom. He doesn't like having a dog in the bedrooms. They sleep in there, you know?

"I don't think it would have hurt to let that poor dog stay in here." Jo smiles, closing the closet.

"And let her make another mess where Gabby sleeps? Not gonna happen." Logan answers as Jo pushes him out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Mama Knight is busying fixing the heart shaped flower arrangement that she finally picked up earlier. She noticed that a flower was out of place, so she had to make some minor adjustments.

"There." She says, stepping away from the arrangement. Logie Jr. tries to attack the arrangement, but James quickly grabs her and picks her up. The florist obviously worked very hard on this arrangement and they're sure that she wouldn't be pleased to learn that a tiny ball of fluff destroyed it.

"You're cute, but so hyper." Camille says, rubbing the adorable puppy's head.

"Do the rest of you have your outfits picked out for the funeral?" Mama Knight asks them. They all reply with "yes," which Mama Knight seems to be pleased with. She doesn't really care for people waiting until the last minute to do anything. She has been asking them for days to decide what they plan on wearing.

"Where is she gonna be buried?" Stephanie wonders.

"The cemetery in Duluth." Mama Knight says, admiring the flower arrangement. Logan isn't really surprised. Julia grew up in Duluth, so it makes sense that her mom would want her to be buried there. Logan is just trying to come to terms with the fact that she's gonna have to be buried in the first place. She should be alive right now.

"I heard that her mom is a miserable wreck." Lucy points out.

"Who wouldn't be?" Carlos says. "Her daughter is dead."

"We just need to be supportive." Mama Knight tells them. "Her family is going through a hard time right now."

Logan doesn't understand a lot of things, although he's very smart for his age, but he definitely doesn't understand why anyone would wanna take her own life. What trigged Julia's suicide? Was Logan's visit the reason? Did she just not like being in the mental hospital? It seems like the staff treated her well, so he doesn't understand why that would cause her to do what she did.

"Now, who wants to eat some chocolate chip cookies?" Mama Knight's attitude quickly changes from serious to cheerful. Gabby and Carlos are the first people to run into the kitchen.

* * *

"Let's just forget about Julia for a while." Kendall says as he and the guys enter the movie theatre. They decided to see Spring Breakers, the new film starring Vanessa Hudgens and "Logan's future wife" Selena Gomez. They know that he has been feeling bad about the Julia situation, so they decided to take him to see his celebrity crush's newest film, even though it's super racy.

"Yeah," Carlos agrees. "We're gonna watch hot girls get wasted and fire guns."

"This movie's rated R!" Logan says as Kendall helps him into a seat. Kendall really believes that the guy should stop being such a goody two shoes all the time. It's like he's scared to see even one rated R film. Yeah, Spring Breakers is hard core, but Logan should remember that his girl Selena is in it.

"Selena's in it." James says in a sing song voice.

"Oh yeah." Logan says dreamily, staring at the screen. "Hey, doesn't Jo know her?"

"Yeah, she guest starred on New Town High once." Carlos nods.

"You think I could get her number?" Logan asks hopefully. His three friends look doubtful. Kendall doesn't know, but he's pretty sure that Jo won't be able to convince Selena to give her number to a guy that she has never met. Of course, Jo could hook him up with a chance to meet his favorite actress.

"If you have Selena, I'm taking Vanessa Hudgens." Carlos says proudly.

"I call Ashley!" James laughs.

"Well, I think the other girl...Rachel Korine, I think that's her name...is very attractive." Kendall chuckles.

"Dude, I think she's married to the director." Logan answers. Kendall gives him a look of mock disappointment, although he really doesn't care. There are some beautiful girls in this movie, but he's already got an amazing girl that actually knows his name. That girl is Jo Taylor, whom he loves very much.

If Julia was still alive, she could have eventually found love.

"Now, let's just sit back, relax, and enjoy this." He says, getting comfortable in his seat. They could use a good distraction right now.

* * *

***sigh* BTR lost at the KCA's:( I guess I'm happy for One Direction (I refuse to get involved in the Rusher/Directioner fan war), but I wish that our boys could have taken home an award:/ Well, they're winners to me!**

**Review! :D**


	39. In The Ground

"You have _insane hair._" One of Julia's cousins exclaims, running her fingers through James's hair.

"Yeah, it use to be normal, then it just...went insane." James chuckles awkwardly. They're sitting in a church, waiting for Julia's funeral to begin. He never knew that Julia had such strange relatives. Her cousins are so...forward. Her grandfather is a grouchy old coot. Her aunt is just...bossy. She's been yelling at the ushers for thirty minutes.

"Gosh, you are a fine piece of a-" The other girl starts to say. She shuts up when her mom gives her a dirty look. Yeah, who wants to hear their daughter talk like that? Anyway, James can't believe that they're hitting on their dead cousin's ex boyfriend at her funeral.

"And what about you?" The older cousin coos to Logan, reaching for the color of his blazer. "You're pretty hot."

James and Logan glance at each other with disturbed looks on their faces. Gabby is sitting next to Logan, cuddling the doll that her uncle got her for Christmas. She seems amused at how creeped out they look. Camille and Lucy are sitting behind the two cousins and look like they're ready to throw down, which is the only amusing thing about this situation.

"Hey, the funeral's starting." Lucy says coldly.

Julia's casket is sitting in front of the audience. It's a beautiful silver casket, but it shouldn't belong to a seventeen year old girl. James can't believe that Julia is inside that box, no longer living life. She's gonna be put in the ground today. He wishes that he had known how troubled she was, so he could have helped her.

The funeral is so depressing. A lot of people are crying, including Jo. Why is she crying? She didn't even like Julia. Of course, she's a pretty emotional person. They watched My Sister's Keeper the other night and she was crying for most of the movie. Kendall and Logan thought it was sweet, but James found it annoying. Yes, it's a sad movie, but it's hard to enjoy a movie if someone's sobbing the whole time.

"Jo, honey, calm down." Camille says, trying to comfort Jo.

"How can I calm down?!" Jo cries. "We killed her!"

"Actually, she killed herself." Lucy points out.

"Yeah, but we never showed any kindness or understanding! It's no wonder that she felt life wasn't worth living!"

James still thinks that it's stupid to take the blame for what Julia did. If she wanted kindness or understanding, she should have been nicer to them. You get what you dish out, you know? If you're nice to people, they'll be nice to you. If you're mean to them, they're gonna be mean to you. She got the same treatment that she gave out.

"Why aren't you two crying?" Stephanie asks Julia's two cousins.

"Because she treated us like dirt." The older cousin answers. "Like she treated everyone else."

James glances at Logan, who is fixing Gabby's bow. James hopes that he can find an amazing girl someday and they can have a daughter like Gabby. She's a really good kid. She's so sweet and friendly, not to mention lovable. James loves how she has been trying to comfort everyone, even Julia's mom.

"Logie, I'm bored."

"Shhh." Logan shushes her. "We'll go out to lunch after this."

"But-"

"Gabriella!"

The mood in the church is saddening. Everyone looks so heartbroken, even though Julia may not have been the most likable person in the world. She was still a human being. She had feelings just like everyone else. Life seemed so hopeless for her that she just didn't see the point in it. It ended in disaster.

Together, James and friends sit in silence with the rest of the dead girl's loved ones, silently expressing their condolences and praying that Julia has found the peace that she never had here on Earth.

* * *

"Julia left a suicide note." Shauna Friedman says, handing a folded up sheet of paper to Mama Knight. "You can take a look at it if you'd like."

"Um..." Mama Knight hesitates. "Thank you, Shauna, and I'm very sorry for your loss."

Julia's mom quietly thanks her and walks away, leaving Mama Knight and Katie to sit by Julia's grave and begin reading the letter.

_Dear friends, family, and others,_

_By the time you read this, I'll be gone. I wanted to write this letter so there are no unanswered questions. As you may know, I'm crazy. I wouldn't be in a mental hospital if I wasn't. I hate being so disturbed, but there's nothing I can do to make it stop. Death is the only thing that will bring me relief._

_I first want to apologize to everyone that I've bullied and stepped on in the past. This includes James, Logan, and their friends. Jo, Camille, Lucy, and Stephanie, I wasn't mean to you guys because I hated you. No, I was mean to you because I was jealous. Not only are you beautiful and popular for the right reasons, but you're so close to each other. I don't remember having a best friend that was also like a sister to me. I wish I did have such a friend, though._

_James and Logan, I remember my relationship with each of you very clearly. I dated Logan first. Logie, I remember seeing you for the first time at a musical festival in Duluth. I thought you were so cute with your dimples and crooked smile. And who can forget those gorgeous brown eyes? Then I actually talked to you and I realized that you weren't only good looking, but you had a great personality. If only I had a personality like yours. It's no wonder that you're so irresistible._

_James, you and I went to the same high school until you moved last year. I remember watching you in class, so desperate to get the nerve to talk to you. I knew you were deaf, but it didn't bother me. The first thing I noticed about you was your smile. You have such a beautiful smile. Luckily, I knew sign language, so I had no problem communicating with you once I got the courage to do so. We began dating after we went to a football game together. We shared our first kiss in the bleachers, remember?_

_I care about both of you, but I wasn't the best girlfriend I could have been. I'm so sorry for not being better._

_Last but not least, I need to apologize to my mom. Mama, I'm sorry that I haven't been the daughter you want me to be. God knows I wanted to be better, but I didn't know how to make that happen. The only way I felt even a little sane was when I was downing a stupid pill every morning. If I didn't do that, I was a mess. I'm so sorry, Mama, and I hope that you'll forgive me._

_I hope that you'll all forgive me. _

_Goodbye_

_Love, Julia_

Katie tears up, taking the note from her mom. She never met Julia, but Kendall always described her as being "hot, friendly, but creepy." She sure sounds genuine in this letter. It's a far cry from what the guys have said about her. Carlos always said that she was cute, but she seemed fake. Katie sure wishes that someone had gotten to Julia before she did this.

Yeah, Katie may be only twelve, but she's perfectly capable of understanding. She knows how awful suicide is and she couldn't imagine ever doing such a thing, no matter how bad life might get. Yeah, life can be a real pain sometimes, but no one should ever take their own life. It always gets better if you're willing to take the proper steps to improvement.

Mama Knight just shakes her head as Katie hands the note back to her. Katie looks around the cemetery, her eyes landing on James and Gabby. Her incredibly sexy and adorable crush is giving Gabby a piggyback ride and the little girl seems to be having a good time. If only they could all be as carefree as her.

She also sees Logan sitting in his wheelchair by the gate. He looks kind of sad and Katie feels the sudden urge to go over and give him a hug. So she walks over to him and wraps her arms around his neck, holding onto him. He has been through enough already, the worst being his sister's death. Maybe it wasn't a good idea for him to come to this funeral.

"It reminds me of Kelsey's funeral." He murmurs.

"Yeah, but here's an idea." Katie suggests. "Instead of going to the reception, let's get all your friends and go out to lunch. Do something fun, you know? It might cheer you up!"

"I guess." Logan sighs. Katie quickly kisses his cheek before walking away, giggling when she sees James. She wishes that he would date her, but he's eighteen and she's twelve, which means that he could get arrested. The last thing she wants is for James to get in trouble. Well, she'll be eighteen in six years. She hopes that James will wait for her...oh, who is she kidding?

"Honey, he's too old for you." Mama Knight says, pushing her daughter toward the gate. Katie pouts, crossing her arms. She can't wait until she's eighteen. Then she might have a chance with James. You know, unless he decides to start dating Lucy. It wouldn't be surprising. He seems to spend a lot of time with that girl.

"Mom, can we skip the reception?" She asks, looking over at Logan. "I think we should take Logan, Kendall, and their friends somewhere fun."

"That sounds like a great idea, baby." Mama Knight smiles, starting the car. "Kendall is so lucky to have a little sister like you."

Katie grins proudly. As if she didn't already know that!

* * *

**The part where Julia's cousin talks about James's hair (at the beginning of the chapter) is based on a scene from the VicTORious episode, Freak The Freak Out:) Some girl was telling Beck that he has "insane hair" and I just had to use it:P**

**I wanted this chapter to be sad, but I wanted it to have some lighthearted moments as well:)**

**Review! :D**


	40. Don't Wanna Lose You

"Hey, look what I've got." Logan says, holding an envelope in his hands.

"What is it?" Mama Knight asks, taking the envelope from him. It's a letter from the University Of Minnesota. It's already opened and Logan looks pretty happy, so he must have gotten accepted. Pulling the letter out of the envelope, Mama Knight unfolds it and begins reading. She soon has a smile on her own face as she reads the acceptance letter.

"I got in!" Logan says happily.

"I'm so proud of you, honey." Mama Knight says, leaning over to hug Logan. He's sitting on the couch and he no longer has to use his wheelchair. Instead, he uses crutches. It's still hard for him to get around, but it makes it a little easier for him to take care of Gabby. Mama Knight, Kendall, and Katie are still gonna stay with him, though. They won't be moving back into their own home until he's completely healed.

"I guess I better start talking to Gabby's new school." Logan says, showing her the brochure for Duluth Elementary School. She knows someone that has a child that goes to school there. This woman told her that it's a great school. Gabby will get a good education if she goes here. Logan has expressed concern about making her switch schools, though. Her friends are here in Grand Marais.

"That's great." She tells him, reading through the brochure. She turns around as James enters the living room, waving at her. He sits next to Logan on the couch, laying down with his head resting on a pillow. Something seems to be bothering him, but Mama Knight isn't sure if she should ask him.

"Are you okay, man?" Logan asks him. James nods, a frown on his face. Mama Knight can easily tell that the boy is lying, but they probably shouldn't force him to talk if he doesn't want to. She feels so tempted, though. She loves her boys and she can't stand to see them upset. She wants to know what's wrong, so she can help him.

"Um," She hesitates. "James, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah." James says quietly, following her out of the living room and out of the apartment. As soon as they're alone, James sighs and rests his head on her shoulder. She frowns and wraps her arms around his neck, rubbing his back. She wonders if it has something to do with Logan's acceptance letter and the fact that his mom doesn't want him enrolling in college this year.

"Alright, what's the matter?"

"Well..." James says weakly. "I'm really happy that Logan is going to college, but he's like a brother to me and it's gonna suck not being able to see him and Gabby every day. And my mom won't let me enroll this year because I only got my cochlear implants this year and she doesn't think that I'm ready to go off to college on my own. So Logan is gonna go off to college, make new friends, and forget all about me!"

She hugs him tighter as he starts crying, gently shushing him. Aww, he's gonna miss his best friend. She wishes that she could convince Brooke to let him go to college, but she understands where his mom is coming from. He's still new to hearing and communicating, so he's probably not ready to move into a college dorm and take care of himself.

She looks up as the apartment door opens, revealing a very concerned Logan. He's standing up with the help of his crutches and he's watching them with worry. He limps over to them and carefully reaches out to touch James's shoulder, trying to comfort his friend.

"I overheard the whole thing." He says, giving the boy's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Jay, I'm not gonna forget about you."

"Yeah, that's what you say now!" James cries, turning around. "Once you get there, you'll meet a bunch of smart college students and you'll decide that they're way more fun than I am! Pretty soon, I won't even matter anymore! Don't think that it won't happen!"

Without giving Logan a chance to say anymore, he walks down the hallway, still in tears. Mama Knight can see that Logan is hurt, so she reaches out to give him a hug. James just needs some time alone, so he can calm down. Later, he and Logan can talk about this. Well, she hopes so. Those boys have a wonderful friendship and distance shouldn't get in the way of that.

* * *

"Hey, are you okay?" Lucy questions as James storms into Lucy's house.

"No." James says tearfully, wiping his eyes. Lucy goes over to him and leads him over to the couch, sitting next to him. She wraps her arms around him, kissing the top of his head. She can't stand to see him so upset. After all, she lo...um, she _likes _him...a lot. She wants to see his beautiful smile.

"What's wrong?" She wonders.

"Logan's going off to college in the fall."

"Why is that such a bad thing? Jay, this is really important to him. He can barely afford to keep his apartment, but if he goes to college, he can get a high paying job and he'll be able to give himself and Gabby a better life." She tries to explain.

"You don't understand!" James sobs. "He is the only person that really understands me! Kendall and Carlos only started hanging out with me because of Logan and when he leaves, they won't need to hang out with me anymore. I'll have no one! I'll be alone! Logan is gonna go to college and he's gonna make new friends, which means that he won't need me anymore!"

Lucy runs her fingers through his hair, wiping tears from his cheeks. He can't seriously think that Logan is gonna stop being his friend or that Kendall and Carlos don't care about him. Kendall jokingly refers to James as his "little brother" and Carlos looks up to him. As for Logan, he cares more about James than anyone.

"I know what'll make you feel better." She says, grabbing his hand. She forces him to get up, pulling him into the dining room. She wraps a blanket around his shoulder and goes to prepare him a glass of milk. She doesn't usually act so nice toward most people, but she can't help softening her tough girl persona around James.

"Drink this." She says, handing him the glass. "And relax as I give you the best massage that you'll ever get."

She stands behind him and begins rubbing his shoulders, feeling him relax slowly. Tears are still streaming down his cheeks, but at least he isn't sobbing anymore. He does look incredibly tired, though. She'll see if she can get him to take a nap later. He could certainly use one.

"I'm happy for him, but he's the first real friend I've had and I don't wanna lose him." James murmurs.

"You're not gonna lose him." Lucy insists. "Trust me, I know Logan. He's not the kind of person that would abandon a friend. That's one of the many reasons that Camille is so in love with him. Gosh, I shouldn't have said that out loud."

"It's okay." James chuckles. "I won't tell him."

Lucy rolls her eyes and hugs him from behind, glad to see a smile back on his face.

"You know what I really wanna do right now?" She whispers.

"What?"

"This." She says as she sits on his lap. She brings her face closer to his, kissing him softly. She feels truly relieved when he doesn't push her away. She has been holding back for too long. She needed to express her feelings for him, even if she was putting herself at risk for rejection. Sometimes you gotta take risks, no matter how scared you are.

* * *

"Lucy, let me in!" Logan says, knocking on the door. "Lucy! Lucille Stone, let me in NOW!"

She's not answering, but he knows that she's here. Oh, her door's unlocked. He supposes that he'll just have to go on in and find her. Pushing the door open, he struggles to make his way into the apartment without the door hitting him. Once he's safely inside, he starts exploring his friend's house in hopes of talking to her about where James might be.

He hears noise, like laughter, coming from down the hallway. He limps in that direction, confused as he gets closer to Lucy's bedroom door. He doesn't know what's going on in there, but he's kind of scared to find out. He has to talk to Lucy, though. She's James's go-to girl and he surely called her after he left.

He pushes the door open, taking a deep breath. He nearly stumbles when he sees Lucy and James under the covers, barely dressed, and making out. Okay, Logan is thanking God that he didn't bring Gabby. A six year old girl doesn't need to see two people in nothing but their undergarments, ready to do some...not so innocent things.

He can only stare for a moment, flinching as James lets out a soft groan.

"Are you KIDDING me?!" He finally shrieks. James and Lucy yelp and Lucy gets off of James, hiding under the covers. "Get out from under the covers, Lucy!"

"Now," he says calmly. "What is going on? And Lucy, is that a Spongebob bra? My _six year old _niece watches Spongebob for God's sake!'

"We're a couple now, Logiebear." Lucy replies. "It's not like I'm hooking up with some random guy."

"But still!" Logan gasps.

"Look, I just want a relaxing end to a really crappy day." James complains, staring up at the ceiling. Okay, he must be feeling a little better, so Logan doesn't need to have any conversation with his _girlfriend_. Yeah, he's just gonna...leave them alone...for now. He can't be in this house right now because he's feeling really awkward.

"Great, we freaked him out." Lucy grumbles, slipping her jeans and T shirt back on. Logan rolls his eyes.

"Everything freaks him out!" James answers. Logan looks offended by that comment. That is so not true! Not everything freaks him out! Sure, he acted like a total wimp when he found that rat in his room one time and he nearly puked when he and his friends went on the roller coaster at Fiesta Texas last summer, but he's not a complete wimp.

"Man, you people have lost it!" He mutters, limping out of the bedroom. He knows that they didn't actually do anything, but he knows what they were thinking. He's gonna have to distract himself from the awkwardness of walking in on two of his friends making out. He does need to start preparing for college in the fall. That should be distraction enough.

* * *

**Yep, James and Lucy are a couple now! I felt as awkward as Logan did as I was writing that last scene, but I was also kind of amused:P Imagine Logiebear's face as he walked in on them making out when he wasn't even aware that they had become a coupe:D**

**Alright, since there's gonna be just a couple more chapters in this story, I'm ready to tell you about my next project. It's gonna be a mystery/crime story about the guy's ending up on the wrong side of Hollywood. Let's just say that something happens that brings them nothing but trouble;P That's all I'm gonna say for now**

**I'll probably write a few more chapters of Play With Fire before I start it, though:**

**Review! :D**


	41. Dressing Room

"Well, now that James has a girl, you need to get one." Carlos teases as James and Lucy flirt in a quiet corner of the store. Logan just rolls his eyes in response, crossing his arms. He sure doesn't think that anyone has any business butting into his nonexistent love life. He has plenty to think about without worrying about having a relationship.

"I don't need a girlfriend." Logan says, taking Gabby's hand. He browses the racks for some little girl outfits. Graduation is coming up and Gabby needs an outfit to wear. He sees so many outfits that would look super adorable on her. He does see a cute purple dress that would probably work. Pink and purple are her favorite colors. Yes, she's such a girly girl.

"Logie, I want this!" Gabby says, grabbing a pair of Twinkle Toes shoes off a shelf.

"Honey, those are a little too casual for a graduation ceremony." Logan replies, picking her up. He looks over at James and Lucy, who are sneaking into one of the dressing rooms. Ever since they got together, they haven't been able to keep their hands off each other. He just has to keep reminding himself that he's in his honeymoon phase.

"But-"

"We'll get you some Twinkle Toes some other time." Logan says, sitting her down. He notices that Carlos is looking at a cute pink and purple plaid dress. Aww, that would be perfect! Gabby must have noticed it and she seems to like it too. When Logan looks at the tag, he is pleased to learn that it also comes in Gabby's size!

"Can I get it?"

"Sure, baby," Logan touches her hair. "But let's try it on first."

He takes the dress off the rack and gives Carlos a thumbs up, leading his seven year old niece toward the dressing room. He sighs when he hears James and Lucy's laughter, knocking rapidly. He's happy that those two are together, but he really needs them to stop long enough to let a little girl try on a dress.

"Hey, Logiebear." Lucy teases.

"Ha, Logiebear." James chuckles. Logan slaps him behind the head and ushers Gabby into the tiny room, shutting the door. Yeah, he's a guy, but he gets a kick out of buying clothes for this girl. He loves dressing her up and taking pictures to put up around the house. It might seem strange that a seventeen year old guy has so much fun buying little girls clothes, but he is raising a little girl.

"Logan!"

"Ugh!" Logan groans as he starts helping Gabby out of her clothes. He stands in front of Gabby, then opens the door for Camille. His cheery brunette friend is holding a pair of white sandals. She must think that they would look good with the dress that they're considering. Hmmm, she might be right about that.

"I figured that you'd be looking for some shoes, so I found these." She says, placing the shoes in his hands.

"Thanks." Logan answers. Camille lets go of the door, forgetting to hold the door open. It slams shut and ends up hitting her, knocking her straight into Logan. Gabby finds this funny, but Logan and Camille both agree that this is awkward. Of course, and Logan has never admitted this before, he _is _somewhat attracted to her.

"Um..." He hesitates.

"Logie and Cammie sitting in a tree-"

"Gabriella!"

He's not about to let a little girl tease him. He couldn't possibly ask Camille to enter a relationship with him. They're total opposites! She's reckless and crazy, while Logan is cautious and reserved. It wouldn't be any good for them to become more than friends, even if they secretly want to do so.

"I think you guys are cute together." Gabby comments.

"Gabby-"

"No, she's right." Camille interrupts, backing away from him. "We do look cute together."

Logan blushes, rubbing the back of his neck. He honestly doesn't know how to respond to this. He's not exactly a relationship expert. He and Julia only ended up together because _she _asked _him _out. He has never been the one to initiate a relationship before. Kendall, Mama Knight, Carlos, and all of his friends think that he should get some practice, but he just doesn't know if he can do it.

"Gab, put your dress on." He advises.

"I think it'll look great with the shoes." Camille grins. Logan smiles awkwardly, tapping his foot against the floor. What should he do? He'll admit that he likes Camille, but he's stuck. He wants to ask her out, but he's so afraid of making a fool out of himself. Logan Mitchell refuses to be humiliated.

"You're too shy for your own good." Camille giggles, surprising him with a kiss. As soon as she does that, he's on cloud 9. Once again, he didn't have to embarrass himself because the pretty girl came to him. Now that they've kissed, does it mean that they're officially boyfriend and girlfriend? He kind of hopes so.

"Ooooh..."

"Gabriella Mitchell!" Logan scolds.

"Hey, go easy on her." Camille whispers in his ear. He grumbles under his breath, his mind reeling. He came here to buy an outfit for his niece. Instead of cooing over the child's cuteness, he and Camille are having one of those sappy moments that could only happen in a romantic comedy. What the hell?

"Can I take a picture with your phone?" Gabby asks him.

"Young lady, try on that outfit and be quiet!" Logan says sternly. He yelps when Camille slaps his bicep. He tries to protest, but she doesn't care. She shoots him a dirty look and he quiets down, pouting and crossing his arms. Hey, he's an authority figure and it's his job to teach Gabby that some things just aren't her business.

"You're so cute when you're frustrated." She laughs.

"Yeah, sure, abuse me and then proceed to compliment me at random." Logan responds with sarcasm. He doesn't know what this chick's deal is. She'll slap you one minute, then she'll decide to give you a hug. She's gotta be the most confusing person that he knows...and he's best friends with Carlos! Carlos Garcia, the most random person in Grand Marais!

"There's a cute boy in my class." Gabby announces. "His name is Jeremy."

Logan turns to look at her with wide eyes. "A boy?"

"Logan, let her have her little boyfriend." Camille insists. Logan has to protest again. There is no way that his seven year old niece is gonna have any boyfriend until she's eighteen. This Jeremy kid will have to wait a few years, then Logan might consider letting him be Gabby's boyfriend. Until then, his mommy better keep an eye on him.

"No boyfriends." He firmly states.

"You are so stuffy!"

"Stuffy? Well, excuse me for not wanting her becoming a mom before her eighteenth birthday!"

"Believe it or not, there are plenty of responsible teens!"

"Name one!"

"Jo!"

"She got drunk and practically jumped on Zayn Malik at the Teen Choices Awards after party!"

"US Weekly doesn't count as a reliable source!"

"US Weekly has been accurate before!"

"Damn, what are you guys arguing about?!" Kendall pulls the door open. Logan smacks his hands to his face, avoiding eye contact with all three of them. This is so mortifying. Why did Gabby have to mention her "little friend?" Couldn't they have waited to have that discussion until they got home?

"Logie here is freaking out because Gabby likes a boy in her class."

"She's seven!"

"Shush!"

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Kendall shrugs. Logan gives him an incredulous look, his arms crossed. There is so much wrong with that! A seven year old girl should be drawing pretty pictures and playing with her dolls, not giggling about some boy. He's sure that Jeremy is a perfectly good kid, but Gabby doesn't need a "little boyfriend."

"This conversation is so stupid." Camille groans.

"I know!" Logan agrees.

"Actually, I think it's funny!" Kendall laughs. Logan is gonna have to go home and lay down because he's getting a headache. They're all laughing at his expense, which isn't cool at all. He just wants to preserve Gabby's innocence as long as he can. He doesn't want Gabby to start dating too soon (in his opinion, anything under age eighteen is too soon) and end up in trouble.

"Don't be so sensitive!" Camille playfully punches his bicep. He mumbles under his breath, turning to look at Gabby. He gives her a look that says "See what you started?" He thinks that she gets the message. In response, she shrugs and twirls around in the dress. Gosh, she looks precious.

"I think Cammie is pretty." She points out. "You should date her."

"And what do you know about dating, missy?" Logan questions.

"Plenty."

He ruffles her hair, silently disagreeing. She's a kid! What could a kid know about dating? People shouldn't know that much until they're in their teen years. Until then, Gabby should just stick to her age appropriate activities. Go to school, learn how to read and write, make lots of friends, play with dolls and stuffed animals, and forget about all this grown up stuff.

"Let's try this again." Camille reaches for his hands. She kisses him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. He notices that Kendall is quick to cover Gabby's eyes, which is actually pretty amusing. They're all protective of Gabby and none of them want her to see anything that might be a bad influence on her.

"Gab, let's show James, Carlos, and Lucy your outfit." Kendall quickly ushers the little girl out of the dressing room, leaving Logan and Camille to their...alone time.

* * *

**Okay, I'm so proud of this chapter! It's so cute and that conversation between Logan and Camille is so funny!**

**Anyway, I know I had mentioned my next story idea being a suspense/crime story, but I'm contemplating doing a sequel to Unbroken instead:) I was reading Unbroken and as I was doing so, I was thinking "I miss this story!" So I thought "Maybe I should write a sequel!"**

**Review! :D**


	42. New Beginning

Graduation came and went, and before anyone knew it, it was time for Logan and Gabby to make the big move to Duluth. Logan will be starting college in August and it's only late June, but he wants them to have plenty of time to get use to everything. He found a nice and _affordable _apartment complex near both the college and Gabby's school, not to mention that there are several stores nearby.

"How are the cochlear implants working out?" He asks James as they lift some suitcases into the back of his new truck. On the day of graduation, the Knight family surprised him with the new vehicle. He was truly touched by the gesture and the truck rides very comfortably. He was glad to get rid of the hunk of junk that he was previous stuck driving.

"Good." James answers. "Ready for college? I'm thinking about getting a job, then applying to some schools next year."

"That sounds like a plan." Logan smiles, looking over at Gabby. She had some of her friends over to spend the night, so she could have some time with them before the move. She and the girls are kicking a soccer ball around at the moment. She's wearing some old clothes, so he doesn't mind.

"Is she nervous about changing schools?"

"A little, but not too much." Logan shrugs before walking over to Gabby. "Hey, say goodbye to Uncle James, Uncle Kendall, Uncle Carlos, Auntie Katie, and Mama Knight. We need to get going soon."

Gabby pouts a little bit, but goes over to her uncle's friends. She gives each of them a hug, a really big hug from Carlos, exchanging goodbyes before Logan takes her hand. He picks her up and lifts her into the back seat of the truck, helping her fasten her seatbelt. He hasn't forgotten about car safety.

"Logie, I don't wanna leave." Gabby whines.

"I know, baby, but you'll like it in Duluth." Logan insists, pecking her cheek. He knows that it's natural to be nervous about a big move, but they'll adjust in no time. Gabby will make some new friends at her school and Logan will be on his way to getting a degree and becoming a successful doctor.

"It really sucks that you're leaving." James mutters.

"Dude, I'm gonna call every day." Logan assures him. He looks over at Camille, who is sitting in the front passengers seat. Oh yeah, she got accepted to the University of Minnesota as well, so she and Logan decided to move in together. Besides, it'll be good for Gabby to have some kind of motherly figure in her life.

"My mom is worried Lucy and I are gonna elope." James grins.

"You better not!" Logan scolds. James laughs, punching Logan's shoulder. Things have changed a lot since the two boys first met. James was previously deaf and very reserved, while Logan was just a struggling high school senior raising a child on his own. Now James can hear and Logan is getting a college education.

"Don't have a panic attack!"

"Oh, hush!" Logan says, waving at the others. He walks over to them, giving hugs to Kendall, Carlos, Katie, and Mama Knight. He may not have decent parents, but he does have Mama Knight has a parental figure. She's been more caring than his real parents ever were. She was always that way with Kelsey as well.

"If you get yourself in trouble, I will throttle you." Katie whispers in his ear.

"You wouldn't." Logan chuckles, grinning as she tries to kick him. Sorry, but he's not afraid of a twelve year old girl.

"You better call us." Kendall warns.

"Yeah!" Carlos agrees.

"Boys, he needs to get going." Mama Knight says before kissing Logan's cheek. "Bye, hon."

"Bye." Logan answers before walking over to James. He looks at his new best friend for a moment before reaching out for a hug. He thinks that he'll miss James most of all. He hasn't know the guy as long as he has known his other friends, but they developed a special friendship full of understand of the other's situation. Their struggles are what brought them together.

"Listen to your mom, okay?" He advises.

"She ain't the boss of me!" James teases. Logan gives him a stern look and he quickly rushes to correct his words. "I mean, okay?"

"Much better." Logan grins, walking around to the driver's seat. He gets into the vehicle and starts up, leaning over to give Camille a kiss. He hears a tiny giggle from Gabby, but he doesn't roll his eyes this time. He's just ready to start his new life. This move is a new beginning for all three of them.

"I guess we better get going." Camille tells him. Logan starts the engine and waves at his friends one last time before driving down the street, away from the old apartment complex.

* * *

"I miss him already." Carlos says, flipping through the photo album.

"That makes two of us." James answers.

"Three." Kendall adds. The boys are sitting at the dining table in James's apartment, just reminiscing on old memories. James loves the picture that they're looking at right now. He's got his arms around Gabby while she sits on his lap and Logan is being a weirdo and doing some weird pose in the background.

"He did say that he would call, though." Carlos sighs, turning the page.

"Oh my gosh, look at that one!" Kendall laughs. James chuckles as he stares at the picture. Earlier this month, the boys had taken a trip to one of Minnesota's water parks and they had a great time in the park's wave pool. Carlos had gotten a waterproof camera and he manages to snap a picture of Logan falling off of a tube.

"He looks so freaked out." Carlos giggles.

"I think Gabby was enjoying it, though." James smiles, pointing at the laughing child behind Logan. It may sound mean, but it's kind of fun to laugh at Logan's expense, just because his reaction is so hilarious. The other day, he nearly tripped over his own two feet and when his friends laughed, he was ready to tackle someone.

"Yeah, we can tell." Kendall nods. James sighs and looks around the room. It seems so weird not having Logan around, but the fact that he plans on calling and visiting is somewhat comforting. He told them that him moving doesn't mean that they'll stop spending time together. So they all feel more assured now.

"I guess I better be getting home." Carlos looks at his watch, getting up from his chair.

"Yeah, same here." Kendall squeezes James's shoulder. "See you tomorrow, man."

"Bye, guys." James replies, watching as they walk out the door. He takes a deep breath and closes the photo album, sitting alone in silence. Finally, he gets tired of the boredom and decides to go for a nice, long walk. As much as he misses Logan, he's happy that his friend is doing something as important as college. James only hopes that he'll be doing the same next year.

Until then, he'll have to do the best he can. After all, no one said that you can't accomplish anything in a small town.

* * *

**I'll be starting on the Unbroken sequel soon:) It's gonna be full of angst and drama! *happy dance***

**Review! :D**


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